Writing Competitions Kenyans Can Enter Every Month, in English or Kiswahili
Quick answer: Writing competitions in Kenya are mostly annual and published-work only. Writory's monthly short story contest accepts original unpublished stories of 100 to 3,000 words in any genre, in English, Kiswahili or any language, for $8 a story. Judging is blind against a published rubric, and every entrant receives a certificate and a score out of 100 on 30 November 2026.
One story of 100 to 3,000 words for $8, closing 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, and a certificate with a five-part score out of 100 for every writer who enters.
The Kenyan scene, and the gap a monthly round fills
Kenya has produced four Caine Prize winners: Binyavanga Wainaina in 2002, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor in 2003, Okwiri Oduor in 2013 and Makena Onjerika in 2018. Kwani? built a generation of writers from 2003, Jalada has published from Nairobi since 2013 and once translated one Ngũgĩ story into more than thirty African languages, the Macondo Literary Festival brings writers to Nairobi each year, and the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature rewards published books.
Almost all of that is for work already in print. A writer in Kisumu or Eldoret with a finished story and no editor has few places to send it and hear back. Writory reads it blind and returns, on 30 November 2026, a certificate and five marks out of 100: Storytelling & Structure 25, Character & Emotional Impact 25, Language & Craft 20, Originality & Voice 20, Impact & Resonance 10.
Kiswahili, Gikuyu, Sheng: read in their own language
Any language is accepted and each story is read in its own language, in the one pool, against the same rubric. A Kiswahili story from Mombasa is read as Kiswahili, and Sheng dialogue is read as Sheng, not marked down as broken English. Kenyan English is never penalised; Language & Craft rewards precision and rhythm, not conformity to one dictionary.
Judging is blind, so no name, county or school reaches the panel. Writers keep all rights, and entering does not publish the story, so it remains eligible for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, which is free for Kenyan citizens, or for any journal that wants first publication. The sister poetry contest has already published a dated winner from Kenya, alongside winners from India, the United States, Ireland and Slovenia.
The deadline in Nairobi time
Entries close on 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. Kenya runs on East Africa Time, two and a half hours behind India, with no daylight saving on either side, so the deadline is 9:29 PM in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru in every round. Kenya has never used daylight saving, so the sum holds in every month. The same evening, after supper, with time to spare.
The first contest runs from 1 September to 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, with results and certificates on 30 November 2026. From December the contest is monthly: entries close on the 25th, results on the 30th, and the next round opens the moment they land. Stories must be original, 100 to 3,000 words, any genre, from writers aged 13 or over, entered online at /submit-story. The form works on a phone over Safaricom data, and there is nothing to print or post.
Paying in dollars from Kenya, and M-Pesa
The fee is $8 for one story, $14 for two, $25 for five, in US dollars, roughly KSh 1,050 for one story at current rates. Payment runs through PayPal, which accepts a PayPal balance or a Visa or Mastercard as a guest. Equity, KCB and Co-operative Bank cards generally work for international online charges. Writory does not take M-Pesa directly for entry, and we say so rather than let you look for it.
The prize of $100 is paid by PayPal, and PayPal in Kenya links to M-Pesa, so a winner can move dollars to their phone. Both fee and prize are fixed in dollars, so the shilling figure moves only with the rate on the day. Winners also enter the next round free; that is the only free entry. Writory Academy Story Craft is a free six-lesson course at /academy/story-craft for anyone who wants the rubric explained first.
The published rubric, 100 points
- Storytelling & Structure (25 points): Does every scene cause the next, and does the ending pay off the opening?
- Character & Emotional Impact (25 points): Do we want something with your character, and does the story make us feel it?
- Language & Craft (20 points): Clean, deliberate prose: rhythm, precision, and nothing wasted.
- Originality & Voice (20 points): The angle only you could write, told in a voice that sounds like nobody else.
- Impact & Resonance (10 points): What the story leaves behind after the last line.
How it works
Submit an original story of 100 to 3,000 words by 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. Every story is judged blind against the rubric above, and results arrive on 30 November 2026: every entrant receives a certificate with their name and a score out of 100. Writers keep all rights. Monthly winners earn free entry to the next round. Enter at https://writoryofficial.com/submit-story.
Common questions
Can I enter from Kenya?
Yes, anyone aged 13 or over, in any county, with no residency or citizenship condition. Entry is online at /submit-story and works on a phone.
How much is the entry fee in shillings?
The fee is fixed in US dollars: $8 for one story, $14 for two, $25 for five. One story is roughly KSh 1,050 at current rates, converted by your card on the day.
Do I get a certificate even if I do not win?
Yes. Every entrant receives a certificate and a score out of 100 with all five rubric marks on 30 November 2026, with a verification link.
What time does the round close in Kenya?
25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, which is 9:29 PM East Africa Time in Nairobi and Mombasa. There is no daylight saving on either side, so it never moves.
Can I write in Kiswahili or Sheng?
Yes. Any language is accepted, each story is read in its own language, and all entries compete in one pool against the same rubric.
Can I pay with M-Pesa?
Not directly. Entry is paid through PayPal with a card or a PayPal balance. Prizes are paid by PayPal, which does link to M-Pesa in Kenya for withdrawals.
More story contest pages
About Writory
Writory (writoryofficial.com) is an international monthly poetry contest founded in 2025 by Shivay Mehra. Poets from 31 countries have entered, readers come from over 150 countries, and every submitted poem is judged and scored out of 100 across five criteria: creativity, emotion, structure, language and impact and resonance. Every entrant receives a certificate; winners receive cash prizes and are published by name. Entries close on the 25th of each month and results are announced on the 30th. Writory is listed by Duotrope, Poetry Kit, Christopher Fielden's competition list and Creative Writing NZ, among other organisations. Past results are public at past winners and the leaderboard.