Meet the Winners of Our 2024 Novel Manuscript Project
We’re thrilled to share some incredible news with our literary community! After months of anticipation and a rigorous selection process, we’ve chosen the winners of the 2024 Ibua Novel Manuscript Project—and we couldn’t be more excited about the exceptional talent we’ve discovered.
From thirty-seven compelling submissions, our distinguished panel of judges has selected Doreen Anyango and Gladwell Pamba as joint winners, with Muthoni wa Gichuru earning the well-deserved runner-up position. All three manuscripts will join our publishing catalog starting in 2026, marking a significant milestone in contemporary East African literature.
The 2024 Ibua Novel Manuscript Project represents more than just discovering new books—it’s about amplifying diverse African voices and contributing meaningfully to the continent’s literary landscape. These three novels offer readers powerful stories that reflect the complexity, richness, and authenticity of life across East Africa.
Next of Kin
by Gladwell Pamba
Urban Nairobi Reimagined
Gladwell Pamba’s Next of Kin offers readers an immersive journey through urban Nairobi, weaving together personal grief with broader social critique. The novel impressed judges from the very first line, with Vimbai Shire noting how she was “immersed from the first line” and that it “held my attention throughout.”
About the Author: Gladwell Pamba brings an impressive literary pedigree to this project. She’s a recipient of multiple prestigious writing fellowships, including the International Literary Seminars (ILS), Oxbelly Writers’ Retreat in Greece, and the CC Adetula Fellowship for African Women in Creative Writing. Her talent has been recognized through winning the Afreada Contest judged by acclaimed author Chigozie Obioma, and she’s been nominated for Best of Net Publications and longlisted for the Writivism Short Story Prize. An MA graduate from Concordia University’s Creative Writing Program, Pamba’s works have been anthologized in Let Us Conspire, The Newly Weds Window, The Heart is a Bastard, and Equipoise, with additional publications in renowned journals including The Rumpus, The Northwest Review, Waxwing Journal, and The Offing. Her storytelling approach leans toward escapism, with feminism and African culture taking precedence in her writing—themes that clearly enrich Next of Kin.
This isn’t just another urban African novel—it’s a groundbreaking work that, as Billy Kahora explains, “excavates urban Nairobi in new ways that will astonish readers.” The story is rich with authentic social textures: gossiping neighbors, chaotic footbridges, street food sellers, and broken dreams, all while addressing systemic issues of urban poverty and patriarchy.
Belongers
by Doreen Anyango
A Contemporary Ugandan Epic
Doreen Anyango’s Belongers has captivated our judges with its powerful exploration of grief, belonging, and survival in modern Uganda. Judge Vimbai Shire described the work as “vivid, rich and emotionally weighty,” particularly praising “the quiet precision and portrayal of grief.”
About the Author: Doreen Anyango is a multifaceted talent—a Ugandan writer, scriptwriter, and biotechnologist based in Kampala. Her literary prowess has already garnered significant recognition, with her short fiction appearing in numerous publications both online and in print. She’s been longlisted for the prestigious Writivism Prize for Fiction and the Short Story Day Africa prize, and notably, her novel manuscript previously won second place in the 2021 Island Prize for Fiction—experience that has clearly informed the exceptional quality of Belongers. What makes this novel truly special? According to our lead editor Billy Kahora, Belongers represents “the contemporary Ugandan epic novel that East Africa needs.” The work masterfully balances socio-political commentary with compelling storytelling, creating what Stacy Hardy calls “an emotionally intricate, lyrical exploration” that speaks to universal human experiences.
The Oath
by Muthoni wa Gichuru
Historical Depth Meets Contemporary Relevance
Our runner-up, The Oath by Muthoni wa Gichuru, brings historical richness and cultural depth to the forefront. This ambitious work has been praised for its “rich world-building in the historical timeline with a strong evocation of cultural and spiritual rituals” and its “important thematic engagement with colonial trauma.”
About the Author: Muthoni wa Gìchùrù is an established Kenyan author with an impressive track record of literary achievements. Her Young Adult novel Breaking the Silence was first runner-up for the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation Literature Prize in 2011, while her novella The Hidden Package (2016) won second prize in the Burt Award for African Writing. In 2018, she achieved the ultimate recognition by winning the overall Burt Award for Africa Writing, Kenya, for her manuscript The Carving.
As a playwright, her debut work The Land along the River was commended in the English as a Second Language category at The 25th International Radio Playwriting Competition (2016). Her short story prowess has earned her multiple accolades, including being shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize in 2015 and longlisted in 2018 and 2023. She was also shortlisted for the Queen Mary Wasafiri writing prize (2019) in the life-writing category and has been shortlisted for the prestigious Miles Morland Scholarship in 2017, 2018, and 2021. Her works have been published in numerous prestigious anthologies and journals, including Fresh Paint volume 2, Moonscapes 2016, The Wrong Patient and Other Stories from Africa, Kweli journal, and Wasafiri Literature Journal. In 2020, she was honored as an Africalia’s Creativity-Is-Life-Grants Scholar.
Billy Kahora describes The Oath as “ambitious. Historical. Also, epic,” comparing it to the Ugandan classic Kintu in its ability to weave together Kenya’s important but under-novelized past with contemporary themes.
The Ibua Novel Manuscript Project has been made possible through the generous support of DOEN.
DOEN is a driving force behind green, socially inclusive and creative pioneers. DOEN supports initiatives by people and organisations that contribute to a better world in an entrepreneurial, creative and innovative way. Besides supporting these pioneers, DOEN also brings them into contact with each other and to the attention of a large audience. DOEN receives all its funds from the Nationale Postcode Loterij (Dutch Postcode Lottery) and the VriendenLoterij (FriendsLottery).
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