Journalist and poet Harriet Anena has won the 2018 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, becoming the first Ugandan to receive the honour.
She tweeted that she was “super happy” to have won the award for her book of poetry, A Nation in Labour.
Her publisher calls it “a collection of social conscience poetry” taking in “the giant politician, the restless citizen, the clueless youth, those struggling to heal from life’s scratches and the ones hunting for words to describe fiery flames of affection”.
Anena, who hails from Gulu in northern Uganda, shares this year’s prize with Nigeria’s Tanure Ojaide who wrote Songs of Myself.
They each win a cash prize of $10,000 (£7,870).
