The Caine Prize 2023  Shortlist Announced

by | Jul 15, 2023 | Gist Corner

Drawn from a pool of 297 entries from, 5 short stories have been shortlisted for the Caine Prize, 2023. They are:

  • Yejide Kilanko (Nigeria) for ‘This Tangible Thing’, HarperVia (2023)
  • Tlotlo Tsamaase (Botswana) for ‘Peeling Time (Deluxe Edition)’, TorDotCom (2022)
  •  Mame Bougouma Diene and Woppa Diallo (Senegal) for ‘A Soul of Small Places’, TorDotCom (2022)
  •  Ekemini Pius (Nigeria) for ‘Daughters, By Our Hands’, Isele Magazine (2022)
  • Yvonne Kusiima (Uganda) for ‘Weaving’, Isele Magazine (2022)

Of this year’s entries, the judges expressed that “showed the depth and scope of writing on the continent and beyond.” It wasn’t a seamless task whittling them to a final five. “The five shortlisted embrace speculative fiction and artivism (using art as a form of activism). Stories of gender-based violence and reproductive autonomy highlight the power of engaging and innovative/original writing. Love is embodied in stories of grandmothers passing on inter-generational wisdom.  The sense of alienation engendered by teenage diasporic liminality sits alongside comedic outrage about the perceived status downgrade in moving from city to village.   Each story will have its fans and advocates-we loved them all.”

This year’s panel of judges consisted of an all-female cast. It is chaired by Fareda Banda who is joined by Edwige-Renée Dro, a writer, literary translator, and literary activist; Kadija George Sesay, editor and founder of Mboka Festival; Jendella Benson, author and Head of Editorial at Black Ballad; and Warsan Shire, a multi-award winning writer and poet who recently collaborated with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter on her Peabody Award-winning visual album Lemonade and the Disney film Black Is King. The winner of the prize will be announced at a ceremony held on Monday, 2nd October 2023 in London, UK.

The Caine Prize for African Writing is awarded annually to an African writer published in English for an outstanding short story since the year 2000. Previous winners of the prize have been Idza Luhumyo (2022), Meron Hadero (2021), Irenosen Okojie (2020), Lesley Nneka Arimah (2019), Makena Onjerika (2018), Bushra al-Fadil (2017), Lidudumalingani Mqombothi (2016), and Namwali Serpell (2015).

Congratulations to all shortlisted writers.

Read the official announcement here.