‘The Kenya I Live In’ Short Story Competition Announcement
Written by Kwani · December 8, 2009
Kwani Trust has received a record 500 entries for the ‘Kenya I Live In’ short story competition launched in July 2009. Winners will now be announced in mid-February 2010 during the launches of 4 upcoming Kwani? titles. Kwani Trust would like to thank all the writers who submitted entries into the competition.
Mr. & Mrs. Kwani?, howz da quality of writting from our young folks? Any good news as in Ngugi’s legend can be surpassed? How rich in oats is the new Kenyan writting? Or was it all just a nice try by everyone…dear Kwani? couple keep us updated.
Hi, does kwani accept scifi stories…..would like to know
Did people who sent the articles receive a confirmation Email? I sent mine and expected a confirmation email but did not so i wondered whether it was received. Pls advice..
Guchu
I didn’t get one either. Someone mentioned that ‘Kwani? wako na wenyewe’ i.e winners are already chosen aka winners will be those that are well known to Kwani? with one ‘wildcard’ thrown into the mix just to make it look ‘authentic’. Don’t know how true this rmour might be.
This being the 21st century someone here must have an inside scoop on who the winners are. Spill the beans before the official announcement. Don’t hesitate just do it.
Pliz my dear Kwani? POSTPONE THIS DATE, i mean we are already at Feb n you know- NO money 4 de 1st n 2nd winners- see maibe, there is 4 fifth winner, but this being Kenya n de economy tumbling, pliz pliz pliz kwani? do not bring kwani down !!!!!! this iz a lot of MONEY 2 be given out——i mean, say something like, “DEAR LAZY CREATIVE WRITERS, WE AS KWANI COMMUNITY HONESTLY IF NOT SINCERELY APPOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONCLUSIVENESS OF THIS WRITING COMPETITION. “Kwani Trust would like to ONCE MORE thank all the writers who submitted entries into the competition SORRY FOR THE LET DOWN!!!!!!” Phew!!!!! KWANI INA WENYEWE MY DEAR FRIENDS N WENYEWE NI SISI – MI INCLUDED -Owise Owano Owiro son of Oyoo- Aaaaiiiiii, DUDE, ati tuwalipe hizo DOO zote, kwani mlienda shamba mkalima ama hii ni samaki !….aaaai!!!!!!!!!!
Will this competition really produce anything worthwhile? Something truly radical? It’s a competition for the younger generation, you would expect some amazing thing that goes off-tangent in a delicious way from the winners. I doubt.
Kwani? team, all we ask is a fair and transparent judgement of ALL entries. its as simple as that. anything short of this and you loose credibility. otherwise so far so good, we’re proud of you guys and the work you do in promoting a new voice in Kenya’s literary sphere.
I know Kenyans, especially young Kenyans, are wont to invoking consipracy theories having been conditioned to distrust any semblance of authority; but even I now have to wonder, shouldn’t Kwani have come up with an exact date by now? It is Feb 10th, “mid Feb” is in 5 days, shouldn’t you at least by now known the EXACT date when the winner will be announced? This vagueness and lack of proper communication is a bit troubling even to the most optimistic amongsts us.
Look Owise I don Know owano son oa bitch, i have no time for you, but ua an idiot. A very big one. How dare u say Kwani? will fail- when everyone already knows it will terribly fail: think ouside; like u know of this tale where ….. i don have to explain this…..but kwani? is fake- just like fake money….and u, ua fake, an mi, am original men…
Kwani, please put the young hearts out of their misery,announce the winners forthwith latest 21st Feb. Word.
Let’s see what kind of radical stuff our young Kenyan minds have…if it is any of the ordinary and boring tripe, I will say Kenyan literature needs big help. This Mzee awaits the winners.
MID FEBRUARY, no word from “Kwani?” Doesn’t your credibility mean anything? Seriously?
This results are a yearning that we are living in total surrender,an undefinable ill that pursues us,oh how more than benevolence that we feel.Kenyans have creativity and imagination when delivering convincing
lies or truth when they are in pursuit of anything good or unworthy.What about while addressing real life issues like the pains and sufferings they undergo.
Maybe Kwani are building up anticipation….
Integrity needs to be written into your mandate Kwani.
This is beyond ‘african time’.
Can’t believe there has been no leak of the winners yet. In Kenya you don’t wait for official announcement, results are known beforehand. Where the hell are the spies? Which corner are they hiding in? Does Kwani? have a security infrastructure more solid than the big banks? Where is the leak?
It’s unprecedented. This cannot be happening in Kenya. This is a country that holds no secrets. It’s a secretless society. Even gay weddings are not secret. Nor can the PM eat maize cobs in privacy or the Ongeri wipe his ass using torn pages from FPE textbooks. Where the F&*k is the leak?
Or wait….maybe even Kwani doesn’t know who the winners are!!!!!!!
The silence from Kwani get’s louder with every passing day.
Can someone define what ‘Mid February’ means?
kwani they’ve forgotten?
kwani?, its a leap year. mid feb passed a while ago.
Hi Billy and the Kwani? team,
I would like to add my voice to the many who have already expressed their concerns over the delay in announcing the winner’s of the short story competition. I think it’s only fair to reply to the questions posed, and give a concrete date for the results. We’re looking forward to reading the selected stories, discovering new talent.
As an aside congratulations on the Granta short story!
Guys, the joke is on anyone who took this thing seriously! Remember the title of the competition is “The Kenya I live in.” Kwani? is only demonstrating exactly how things work in “their” Kenya; empty promises without the slightest regard to reputation. Does it get more Kenyan than that? Mumewezwa 10-nil.
What’s difficult to understand is why the Kwani? team is so silent on the matter… why don’t they give some information… any would be welcome at this point!
Hey all,
We will be posting updates on the ‘The Kenya I Live In’ short story competition by the end of this week. We regret we were not able to meet our mid-February 2010 deadline.