July 7, 2015 – Delectable Zambian writer, Namwali Serpell on Monday night emerged winner of the 2015 Caine Prize for African Writing. She was previously shortlisted in 2010 for her story “Muzungu”.
She was crowned winner at the Bodeleian Libraries, Oxford, United Kingdom. The Sack was published in Africa39 (Bloomsbury, London, 2014). She is also pocketed the sum of £10,000 for her story, ‘The Sack’. The Sack beat four other writers, among which are two Nigerians, Segun Afolabi and Elnathan John and two South Africans, F. T. Kola and Masande Ntshanga.
The shortlisted losers also pocketed £500 each.
Segun Afolabi was shortlisted for his story “The Folded Leaf” published in Wasafiri (Wasafiri, London, 2014). Elnathan John was shortlisted for his story “Flying” published in Per Contra (Per Contra, International, 2014). It was also shortlisted in 2013 for “Bayan Layi”.
F. T. Kola was shortlisted for he story “A Party for the Colonel” published in One Story (One Story, inc. Brooklyn, New York City, 2014) while Masande Ntshanga made the list for the story titled “Space” published in Twenty in 20 (Times Media, South Africa, 2014)