Caine Prize 25th Anniversary Returns to Zimbabwe and Honours NoViolet Bulawayo

NoViolet Bulawayo

By Staff Reporter

The Caine Prize for African Writing celebrated its 25th anniversary with a landmark return to Zimbabwe, centring events on Bulawayo and Harare and honouring NoViolet Bulawayo with a special Best of Caine distinction for her short story Hitting Budapest. The commemorations combined public readings, in‑conversation sessions, workshops, and receptions, reaffirming the Prize’s role in spotlighting African literary talent and reconnecting the award’s legacy with Zimbabwean audiences.

The programme opened on December 15 at the Mayor’s Parlour in Bulawayo, where NoViolet joined Ellah Wakatama, chair of the Caine Prize, for a public reading and discussion at Mzilikazi Library. Bulawayo mayor David Coltart received the pair, and the event drew local writers, readers, and cultural stakeholders. Over three days, the anniversary itinerary moved between Bulawayo and Harare, placing NoViolet’s work at the centre of broader reflections on storytelling, memory, and social critique in contemporary African literature.

NoViolet’s Hitting Budapest, originally the 2011 Caine Prize winner, was selected as Best of Caine from the prize’s 25 years of winners. The story, narrated by a nine‑year‑old girl named Darling, follows children from the Mzilikazi township who sneak into a wealthy neighbourhood to steal guavas. Through the children’s eyes, NoViolet renders a vivid portrait of hunger, inequality, and the complexities of childhood in post‑colonial Zimbabwe. The Best of Caine accolade, chosen by a panel chaired by Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah, recognises the story’s enduring literary power and its resonance across time and place.

Events in Harare included an evening reception at the Friendship Bench Hub on December 16, which brought together publishers, writers, and cultural practitioners and featured a live performance by singer‑songwriter Raven Duchess. The anniversary programme concluded on December 17 with an intimate writers’ workshop, led by Wakatama, NoViolet, and author Petina Gappah, offering emerging writers practical guidance and mentorship.

Wakatama used the platform to emphasise the Caine Prize’s mission to amplify African voices globally and to support the development of literary ecosystems on the continent. She highlighted the importance of celebrating the Prize’s milestone in Zimbabwe, arguing that homecoming events strengthen local literary communities and create opportunities for sustained engagement between writers, publishers, and readers.

The Best of Caine selection and the anniversary events underscored the Prize’s influence in launching careers and shaping conversations about African writing. NoViolet’s reflection during the programme that universal human experiences such as love, death, and childhood transcend national borders resonated with audiences, and also reinforced the Prize’s commitment to stories that speak to both local specificity and global humanity. With the 26th edition announced, the Caine Prize looks to the future while honouring its past. The shortlist for the next cycle will be revealed on September 1, 2026, with entries open until February 27, 2026, as the Prize continues its work of discovering and promoting outstanding short fiction from across Africa.