The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology has officially announced the fourth Julius Nyerere National Creative Writing Awards 2026, a platform recognized for promoting Swahili literature and nurturing creative talent across Tanzania.
Minister Prof. Adolf Mkenda revealed the awards ceremony will take place on April 13 at the Super Dome in Dar es Salaam, as part of celebrations marking the birth of the Father of the Nation, Julius Nyerere, who championed the Swahili language and literary development.
“Through the Tanzania Education Institution (TET), which organizes the awards with an independent committee chaired by Prof. Penina Mlama, this year’s competition attracted numerous entries across four categories: novels, children’s stories, drama, and poetry,” Prof. Mkenda said.
He added that the event will feature internationally acclaimed poet Abdilatif Abdalla from Germany, who previously taught at the University of Dar es Salaam for more than 15 years, enhancing the ceremony’s national and international prominence.
Ahead of the awards, a forum will bring together local and international writers, including experts such as Dr. Aida Mutenyo from Uganda and Ferdinand Ndahayo from Rwanda, to discuss the future of creative writing and literature in Africa.
Since the awards’ inception, 27 Tanzanians have won in various categories, with the government investing about TZS 800 million to publish winning works for distribution in schools across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar to foster a reading culture.
“The awards continue to attract Tanzanians abroad and participants from other countries, showing the growing international recognition of the prizes,” Prof. Mkenda noted.
He also praised the independent committee for managing the selection process with professionalism, fairness, and transparency, and invited the public to attend the ceremony, which will start at 2 p.m., featuring creative performances and discussions to advance literature in the country.
Prof. Mlama highlighted the strong participation this year, saying the top three winners in each category will receive cash prizes and the opportunity to publish their works.
