I am super excited and also still surprised, Kenyan writer Makena Onjerika has said hours after winning the Sh1.3m Caine awards.
Onjerika won the 2018 Caine Prize for African Writing for her short story 'Fanta Blackcurrant', beating four other finalists.
"I did not
expect it. I had a person that i was betting for among the shortlisted
writers... and then i heard my name and i was like are you sure it was me you mentioned?" She told BBC on Tuesday.
Onjerika said they had to keep talking for a few minutes to let it sink in before she could believe that indeed she was the one who had been called.
Described as Africa’s leading literary award, the short story was
published by Wasafiri in (2017).
The Chair of the Caine Prize judging panel Dinaw Mengestu, announced
Onjerika
as the winner of the £10,000
{Sh1.3m}
prize at an award dinner on Monday evening.
Mengestu, praised its narrative as 'haunting in its humour, sorrow and intimacy' Cane Prize said via twitter on Tuesday.