Kenyan writer Idza Luhumyo has won the 2022 AKO Caine prize for African writing, with the short story “Five Years Next Sunday”
Luhumyo beat four other short stories from Ghana, Nigeria and Ethiopia to win the prestigious prize.
She becomes the fifth Kenyan writer to win the Caine prize, after Binyavanga Wainaina (2002), Yvonne Owuor (2003), Okwiri Oduor (2014) and Makena Onjerika (2018).
The announcement was made at the Victoria & Albert museum in London. Luhumyo was described by Chair of Judges, Okey Ndibe, as “a magnificent writer.”
The AKO Caine Prize for African Writing is an annual literary prize that honours the best African short fiction written in the English language. The five shortlisted writers were announced from the 349 entries from 27 African countries on June 8 before the winner was revealed on Monday.
The winner of the prize is awarded a cash prize of £10,000 as well as publication in the Caine Prize anthology by Cassava Republic Press.
The other shortlisted authors this year were Hannah Giorgis for A Double-Edged Inheritance,Nana-Ama Danquah for When a Man Loves a Woman,Joshua Chizoma for Collector of Memories and Billie McTernan for The Labadi Sunshine Bar.