Kenyan Writer To Know His Fate Today

The Caine Prize will be announced today and Kenyans have a reason to be excited. Kenya’s own Billy Kahora is in this year’s Caine Prize shortlist, which was announced two months ago by famed Nigerian writer, Ben Okri, who was also named as the prize’s vice president in April this year. The panel of judges is chaired by Bernadine Evaristo.

Billy Kahora’s Urban Zoning, the critically acclaimed book about contemporary Nairobi, was one of the five in the shortlist. Others were Nigeria’s Rotimi Babatunde for Bombay’s Republic, Malawi’s Stanley Kenani for Love On Trial, Zimbabwe’s Melissa Tandiwe Myambo for La Salle de Depart and South Africa’s Constance Myburgh for Hunter Emmanuel.

The five beat out 117 other entries from 14 countries around Africa. Kenya is the only country that has had two writers winning the prize in consecutive years. Binyavanga Wainanina’s Discovering Home and Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor’s Weight of Whispers were awarded in 2002 and 2003 respectively.

Billy Kahora is the Managing Editor at Kwani? where former winner, Binyavanga Wainaina is the Founding Editor. Billy Kahora also wrote Soul Boy, the critically acclaimed Kenyan short film.