Out Of Africa: Caine Prize Marks 25 Years in Zimbabwe, Honouring NoViolet Bulawayo’s Best of Caine Award
A milestone celebration honours literary legacy, excellence, and the future of African storytelling The Caine Prize for African Writing marked its 25th anniversary with a landmark return to Zimbabwe, celebrating NoViolet Bulawayo’s historic Best of Caine Award win while reaffirming the Prize’s long-standing commitment to African literary excellence and the future of African storytelling. Held […]
Black News 
A milestone celebration honours literary legacy, excellence, and the future of African storytelling
The Caine Prize for African Writing marked its 25th anniversary with a landmark return to Zimbabwe, celebrating NoViolet Bulawayo’s historic Best of Caine Award win while reaffirming the Prize’s long-standing commitment to African literary excellence and the future of African storytelling.
Held across Harare and Bulawayo, the three-day anniversary programme placed Bulawayo’s work at the centre of a broader reflection on African narratives, legacy, and global reach, while highlighting the Prize’s evolution under the leadership of Chair Ellah Wakatama OBE FRSL.
Widely recognised as one of the most influential African writers of her generation, NoViolet Bulawayo was honoured for her short story Hitting Budapest, originally awarded the Caine Prize in 2011 and, in 2025, selected as the Best of Caine, the most outstanding winning story from the Prize’s 25-year history. Chosen from all past winners, the distinction underscores both the lasting impact of Bulawayo’s work and the Caine Prize’s role in identifying writing of enduring global significance. The judging panel was chaired by Nobel Laureate Professor Abdulrazak Gurnah, alongside award-winning author Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi and acclaimed film producer Tony Tagoe.
The programme opened on 15 December 2025 at the Mayor’s Parlour in Bulawayo, where Bulawayo and Wakatama were received by the Mayor of Bulawayo, Senator David Coltart. This was followed by a public reading and in-conversation event at Mzilikazi Library, attended by local writers and readers. In conversation, Bulawayo reflected on the universal humanity that anchors her work, noting that “death is death in Zimbabwe just as it is in Spain; the same is true of love and of childhood.” The evening concluded with Bulawayo receiving a gift of photography from writer, filmmaker, and photographer Elliot Moyo.
A central highlight took place on 16 December 2025 in Harare with an evening reception celebrating Bulawayo’s Best of Caine Award. The event brought together writers, publishers, readers, and literary stakeholders, and featured a live musical performance by Zimbabwean singer-songwriter Raven Duchess. Reflections during the evening acknowledged the Prize’s long-standing partnerships and its sustained investment in African literary communities.
Drawing on her experience as a writer, editor, and cultural leader, Wakatama reflected on the mission of the Caine Prize to platform African writing globally. She emphasised the significance of marking the Prize’s 25th anniversary in Zimbabwe, underscoring its responsibility not only to recognise excellence, but to actively invest in the development, visibility, and sustainability of African writers.
In a closing conversation, Bulawayo reflected on her writing journey, the lasting affirmation of her 2011 Caine Prize win, and the importance of ensuring Zimbabwean stories continue to travel across borders and media. She concluded the evening with a reading from “Hitting Budapest.”
The programme concluded on 17 December 2025 with an intimate writers’ workshop at the Friendship Bench Hub in Harare, hosted by Wakatama, Bulawayo, and author Petina Gappah. Addressing ongoing concerns around access to publication pathways for Zimbabwean writers, the session focused on craft, discipline, and persistence, offering practical guidance grounded in the facilitators’ combined decades of literary experience.
As the Caine Prize marks 25 years of championing African storytelling, the Zimbabwe programme stood as a powerful convergence of legacy and future, celebrating NoViolet Bulawayo’s Best of Caine win while reaffirming the Prize’s long-term commitment to nurturing African literary talent.
The Prize acknowledges the generous support of Carnegie Corporation of New York and Meikles Foundation, whose sponsorship of the 25th anniversary programme reflects their commitment to sustaining African literary talent.
