Announcement of winner: 2 July 2012
The jud
ges of this year's Caine Prize for African Writing were announced today. The panel will be chaired by author and Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature Bernardine Evaristo. Joining her are awardwinning cultural journalist Maya Jaggi, Zimbabwean poet, songwriter and writer Chirikure Chirikure, Associate Professor at Georgetown University Samantha Pinto, and the award-winning CNN television correspondent Nima Elbagir.
This year 122 qualifying stories have been submitted to the judges from 14 African countries. The judges will meet in early May to decide on the shortlisted stories, which will be announced shortly thereafter.
The winning story will be announced at a dinner at the Bodleian Library in Oxford on Monday 2 July. Last year the Caine Prize, described as Africa's leading literary award, was won by Zimbabwean writer NoViolet Bulawayo. Chair of judges Hisham Matar said at the time "The language of 'Hitting Budapest' crackles. This is a story with moral power and weight; it has the artistry to refrain from moral commentary. NoViolet Bulawayo is a writer who takes delight in language."
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Website: www.caineprize.com