Author Kinyanjui Kombani has dominated this year’s nominations for the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature and the Wahome Mutahi Literary Award while Longhorn Publishers lead other houses with five titles.
Mr Kombani, who last year won the Code BURT Award for African Young Adult Literature for his book, Finding Colombia, has three titles nominated for the two awards organised by the Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) and sponsored by the Text Book Centre.
In a joint press release, KPA and Text Book Centre announced the merger of the two biennial awards and conversion to an annual event. Jomo Kenyatta prize for Literature is the oldest literary award in the country and has been won by some of Kenya’s literary greats like Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Meja Mwangi, David Mulwa and Henry ole Kulet.
“The Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature produces some of the best works, often used as set books in the country or as university study materials. It is planned that all genres will be covered in future awards to achieve balance and the right mix of creative expression,” Musyoki Muli, the KPA council member in charge of awards told the Nation on phone.
The Wahome Mutahi Prize for Literature honours exceptional works of art written by Kenyans and was established in 2006 to honour the pre-eminent Kenyan humourist and satirist Wahome Mutahi. It will now be a category within the TBC-JKPL awards.
Source: Business Daily Africa
Photo: Correspondent
