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Babishai Haiku Award (2016–2020)

The Babishai Haiku Award was established in 2016 as part of the Babishai Poetry Festival based in Kampala, Uganda. Babishai was the first English-language haiku contest in Africa for African poets. Competitions have been held in 2016, 2017, and 2020.


Submission Guidelines

The following submission guidelines for the Babishai are derived from the announcement for the 2020 contest in the Babishai Niwe website.

The Babishai Haiku Award competition is open to Africans aged 18 and above whose country of residence is in Africa.

In 2020, submissions were received from January 1 from 12:01 am, to March 15 11:59 pm (Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania time). Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania time is GMT + 3 hours.

A minimum of three and maximum of five haiku should be submitted to bnpa2020@babishainiwe.com and a copy sent to babishainiwe@babishainiwe.com.

Submissions shroud be sent as an attachment to an email in English. The attachment should be a single Microsoft Word document, single-spaced, and using the 11-point Calibri font. The attachment should contain only the haiku.

The 1st Prize-winner receives US$300. The 2nd and 3rd Prize-winners receive US$200 each.

The body of the email should include the poet’s name, country of origin, country of residence, and email address.

Each haiku must be original (never previously published either online or in print).

Plagiarism and late submission are grounds for disqualification of entries.

Winners are announced during the annual Babishai Niwe Poetry Festival, which typically takes place in Kampala, Uganda, in June.

The judges’ decisions are final.

The latest guidelines for the Babishai Haiku Award may be viewed here.


Babishai Haiku Award 2020

JudgeKariuki wa Nyamu, Kenya
Number of entriesNot stated
Babishai Haiku Prize 2020
Shortlisted poets (10)Ali Znaidi, Tunisia
Andrew Herbert Omuna, Uganda
Praise Osawaru, Nigeria
Devis the Poet, Uganda
Ahmad Holderness, Nigeria/United Kingdom
Akello Charlotte, Uganda
Justice Joseph Prah, Ghana
Rose Wangari Kinyanjui, Kenya
Adipo Sidang’, Kenya
Osho Tunde Matthew, Nigeria

Babishai Haiku Award 2017

JudgesAdjei Agyei-Baah, Ghana; Emmanuel Kalusian, Nigeria; and Mercy Ikuri, Kenya
Number of entriesNot stated
Announcement of winnersAugust 6, 2017, at the Babishai Niwe Poetry Festival dinner, Kampala, Uganda
1st PrizeKariuki wa Nyamu, Kenya
2nd PrizeAnthony Itopa Obaro, Nigeria
3rd PrizePamela Angela Kuadegbeku, Ghana
Other shortlisted poets (15)Charlotte Akello, Uganda
Usman Karofi, Nigeria
Ahmad Holderness, Nigeria
Fred Kweku Forson, Ghana
Acen Miriam Carolyne, Uganda
Kwao Jonathan Tetteh, Ghana
Nnedi Ezenwa Ohaeto, Nigeria
Alawonde Theophilus Femi, Nigeria
Justice Joseph Prah, Ghana
Osemwengie Zion, Nigeria
Abubasam Fahad Mutumba, Uganda
Akor Emmanuel Oche, Nigeria
Pamela Angela Kuadegbeku, Ghana
Obaji Nwali Shegun, Nigeria
Dan’bala Umar, Ghana

Babishai Haiku Award 2016

Chief JudgeAdjei Agyei-Baah, Ghana
Number of entriesNot stated
Announcement of winnersAugust 26, 2016, during the Babishai 2016 Poetry Festival, Kampala, Uganda
Grand Prize (3-way tie)Blessmond Alebna Ayinbire, Ghana
Chibuihe-Light Obi, Nigeria
Kwaku Feni Adow, Ghana
Other shortlisted poets (3)Ayesha Kajee, South Africa
Kwaku Feni Adow, Ghana
Chibuihe-Light Obi, Nigeria
Updated on September 4, 2023