Ken Odak Odumbe

Development Consultant @spidconsulting (Climate Change, WASH, Food Systems, SDGs, Strategy Development, Reviews & Evaluations, Program Design, Health, Advocacy)

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

As one of these 25 shortlisted writers and the only #KenyanContestant, i look forward to the Regional Winners event on 13th May and the Overall Winner ceremony in June this year @cwfcreatives @commonwealthorg @citizentvkenya @KTNNewsKE @MpashoNews @StandardKenya @NationAfrica

[Commonwealth Foundation @commonwealthorg]

We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize shortlist. The international panel of judges has selected 25 writers from a pool of 7,806 entrants.

Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, Razmi Farook, said: ‘Congratulations to all the shortlisted writers. Each year, the Prize becomes more competitive, and this year’s shortlist reflects the remarkable creativity found across our Commonwealth. Storytelling continues to play a vital role, offering space for voices and perspectives that help us better understand one another and imagine a more hopeful, inclusive future.’ 

The full shortlist is listed below. Follow @cwfcreatives for detailed coverage of the prize.

Africa region:
Lois Akoma Antwi (Ghana)
Ken Odak Odumbe (Kenya)
Dawn Immanuel (Nigeria)
Hussani Abdulrahim (Nigeria)
Ola W. Halim (Nigeria)
Oluwatoke Adejoye (Nigeria)
Lisa-Anne Julien (South Africa)

Asia region:
Anmana Manishita (Bangladesh)
Shazed Ul Hoq Abir (Bangladesh)
Rafaa Dalvi (India)
Rupsa Dey (India)
Sharon Aruparayil (India)
Mohamed Nasser Mohamed (Malaysia)
Jacqueline Chang (Singapore)

Canada and Europe region:
John Edward DeMicoli (Malta)
Alison Armstrong (UK)
Jennifer Harvey (UK)

Caribbean region:
Cosmata Lindie (Guyana)
Celeste Mohammed (Trinidad and Tobago)
Jamir Nazir (Trinidad and Tobago)
Jason Dookeran (Trinidad and Tobago)
Jochelle Greaves Siew (Trinidad and Tobago)
Roger-Mark De Souza (Trinidad and Tobago)

Pacific region:
M.S. Bhatia (Australia)
Holly Ann Miller (New Zealand)

Learn more about the writers:
https://t.co/rNtKwn03Ml

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

Congratulations 🎊 to all the #CWPrize2026 winners

[Commonwealth Foundation Creatives @cwfcreatives]

We are delighted to announce the regional winners of the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

Please join us in congratulating our winners, who were chosen from 7,806 entries:

Lisa-Anne Julien (South Africa, Africa region)
Sharon Aruparayil (India, Asia region)
John Edward DeMicoli (Malta, Canada and Europe region)
Jamir Nazir (Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean region)
Holly Ann Miller (New Zealand, Pacific region)

Chair of the Judges Louise Doughty praised the winners for their ‘immense confidence of tone’, adding that each writer leads readers into ‘a world where the characters are utterly believable, the prose assured, and the author has something important to say.’

One of the regional winners will now go on to be named the overall winner of the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize on 30 June.

Read more about the writers and their stories below.
https://t.co/opgPF77WSx

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

My statement on the Commonwealth Short Story Prize Regional Winners 2026 Announcement @cwfcreatives @commonwealthorg @TNXAfrica
@StandardKenya
@citizentvkenya
@ntvkenya
@writingafrica_
@Kenyans

https://t.co/oX8HbGYUGt

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

@owenhabel2 @StandardKenya @AnjellahOwino @afritondo @TNXAfrica Congratulations 🎊 on this, fellow shortlistee

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

@VerahOmwocha @StandardKenya @AnjellahOwino @TNXAfrica @cwfcreatives @commonwealthorg @RKbookpublicist Thank you, @VerahOmwocha

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

I was featured on today's @StandardKenya newspaper after making it to the #CWprize 2026 shortlist. Thank you @AnjellahOwino and @TNXAfrica @cwfcreatives @commonwealthorg @RKbookpublicist
https://t.co/IlU6HnVZqp

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

@NyangePatience @StandardKenya @AnjellahOwino @TNXAfrica @cwfcreatives @commonwealthorg @RKbookpublicist Thank you @NyangePatience

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

My friend and now fellow author @Jorammwinamo has written a seminal piece on the entrepreneurship journey from a non-Western lens. Learn what it takes to succeed in unstructured markets as an entrepreneur from The Enterprise Jungle! Go to https://t.co/AghFO1L5H4 to get your copy.

[Commonwealth Foundation Creatives @cwfcreatives]

📰 Exciting News from our Creative Community✏️

Anushka Jasraj's short story collection, Principles of Prediction, has just been published in paperback by @WestlandBooks

The collection includes her stories 'Radio Story' and 'Drawing Lessons', which won the Asia Regional Prize for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize in 2012 and 2017.

🔗 Please click the link below to pick up your own copy:
https://t.co/isqB6d6qD2

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

Pacific Region Shortlisted Writers #CWprize 2026

[Commonwealth Foundation Creatives @cwfcreatives]

There are two writers from the Pacific region on this year’s #CWPrize shortlist, representing Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

M.S. Bhatia, based in Australia, is the author of ‘Bitter Water Village’. Following the experience of a fifteen-year-old girl, the story explores endurance, family silence and survival. Beyond literature, Bhatia has also contributed to media discussions on political economy.

‘Second Skin’, by Holly Ann Miller of Aotearoa New Zealand, is set on a farm in the Southern Alps. She has been recognised in the 2025 editions of the NYC Midnight Short Story Competition and the AAASL Short Story Competition.

Discover more about this year’s shortlist:
https://t.co/opgPF77WSx

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

Caribbean Region Shortlisted Writers #CWprize

[Commonwealth Foundation Creatives @cwfcreatives]

This year’s #CWprize shortlist includes six outstanding stories from the Caribbean region, with shortlisted writers from Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

Cosmata Lindie (@Cosmata1), a Guyanese writer and visual artist, returns to the Prize after being shortlisted in 2024. Her 2026 story, ‘The Metamorphosis of Miss Alice’, follows a juvenile delinquent whose encounters with a frail and forgotten old woman lead him to believe in the power of transformation.

‘Plenty Time’, by Trinidadian writer Celeste Mohammed, centres on an act of kindness between an elderly widow and another woman in a desperate struggle for dignity. Formerly a lawyer, Celeste is now an award-winning full-time writer, editor and ghostwriter. She was also shortlisted in 2024.

In ‘The Serpent in the Grove’, Trinidadian writer Jamir Nazir centres rural Trinidad in a story steeped in desire, poverty and dread. It explores betrayal, survival and the stubborn force of a woman’s will. Jamir has published several books and is particularly known for his poetry.

Jason Dookeran (@shortdrops_tt), a Trinidadian writer based in Buenos Aires, is the author of ‘Pom Pom Peedeem Pom’, which follows a bassist’s attempt to escape his past—only to find it pursuing him across the sea in the form of a persistent rhythm. His work draws on Trinidadian dialect, folklore, and the interplay between tradition and contemporary life.

Jochelle Greaves Siew, a Trinidadian PhD candidate, has been published in academic journals. Her story, ‘River Mouth’, is her first submission to a writing competition and explores the mysterious disappearance of several girls in a fishing community. She plans to complete her first women’s fiction novel after finishing her PhD.

‘Pot Hound Republic’, by Roger-Mark De Souza (@desouzarm), is told from the perspective of a stray dog wandering the streets and markets of Port of Spain. Born in Trinidad and now based in Washington, D.C., his work explores the complexities of diasporic life. He is currently completing a novel-in-stories tracing interconnected lives between the Caribbean and its global diaspora.

We hope you enjoy reading these stories when they are published later this year.

https://t.co/opgPF77WSx

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

Canada & Europe Shortlisted Writers #CWprize 2026

[Commonwealth Foundation Creatives @cwfcreatives]

There are three writers from the Canada and Europe region on the 2026 #CWprize shortlist, including two authors from the United Kingdom and the first-ever shortlisted writer from Malta.

John Edward DeMicoli makes history as Malta’s debut writer on the shortlist with ‘The Bastion’s Shadow’. Set in Valletta, his story follows an NGO worker and explores themes of migration and memory. A writer and genealogist, John Edward’s work often examines the intersections of history, identity and belonging.

‘Saudade’, by UK writer Alison Armstrong (@alison_1513), centres on an older sister reflecting on her childhood. Alison was a 2024 fellow of Fondation Jan Michalski, and her work has previously been supported by the Royal Society of Literature (RSL).

Jennifer Harvey’s short story ‘Chiddingfold’ follows a woman contemplating life, marriage and what it means to call a place home. Jennifer is the author of three novels, and her short fiction has appeared in a range of literary magazines and anthologies.

Which of these stories are you most looking forward to reading?

https://t.co/opgPF77WSx

[Commonwealth Foundation Creatives @cwfcreatives]

We’re looking for illustrators to feature on adda, our online literary magazine.

If you’d like to be considered, share your portfolio via the form below.

We’ll be in touch with selected illustrators. Due to the volume of submissions, we’re only able to contact those shortlisted.

Express your interest: https://t.co/fwcZiRKeSv

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

Asia Writers' Profiles #CWprize @AfricanPoetryBF @commonwealthorg @cwfcreatives @Hussaniabdul4 @alison_1513 @dawn_immanuel @HausdorffMedia

[Commonwealth Foundation Creatives @cwfcreatives]

There are seven talented writers from the Asia region on this year’s #CWPprize shortlist, with Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Singapore all represented. The region also features two translated entries, and we will publish the originals in Bengali and Malay alongside their English translations later this year.

Amana Manishita, a lecturer at BRAC University, is the writer of ‘A Masculine Fest’. Set in the 1950s, her story follows a young Bangladeshi girl as she navigates the unexpected realities of womanhood.

‘Mofiz – er Relation e Spark Nai’ (‘No Spark in Mafiz’s Relationship’) is written by Shazed Ul Hoq Abir (@Aabir010). Originally written in Bengali, the story tells of a man in a Sundarbans village attempting to revive the spark in his failing marriage.

Rafaa Dalvi is the author of ‘Thirty-One Steps’, a story that unfolds through a father’s nine-year vigil at Amritsar Junction for a son who cannot return. Based in Mumbai, Raffa focuses his writing on voices left out of mainstream fiction and is currently editing his debut literary novel.

Indian writer Rupsa Dey (@rupsadey), a recent graduate of the prestigious Iowa Writers’ Workshop, has published in Swamp Pink and Clarkesworld Magazine. Her story, ‘Fighting Elsewhere’, centres on a protagonist unable to share his life and identity with his mother, whom he supports financially.

‘Mehendi Nights’, by Sharon Aruparayil, takes place in a speculative world inspired by the chawls of Mumbai, where women are forbidden language. Sharon was recently nominated for the 2026 Pushcart Prize and the PEN/Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers.

Mohamed Nasser Mohamed is the author of ‘Separuh Yang Hilang’ (‘The Missing Half’). Originally written in Malay, the story is set in a flood-stricken village and follows a father rebuilding a broken life through memory, love and survival. Mohamed Nasser Mohamed is also a Consulting Editor and has been involved in over 150 publications since 2008.

‘The Miles Between Us’, by Jacqueline Chang, revolves around a Singaporean woman who discovers 76,240 KrisFlyer miles in her late mother’s estate. Outside of writing, Jacqueline enjoys photography projects that invite conversation.

We look forward to bringing these stories to you.

https://t.co/opgPF77WSx

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

African Writers' Profiles #CWprize @commonwealthorg @cwfcreatives @AfricanPoetryBF @writingafrica_

[Commonwealth Foundation Creatives @cwfcreatives]

Ghanaian, Kenyan, Nigerian and South African writers represent the Africa region on this year’s Commonwealth Short Story Prize shortlist.

‘Orchard of Blackbirds’ is Lois Akoma Antwi’s first internationally recognised work. Narrated by a teenage girl in a Bosnian town on the edge of war, the story reflects Antwi’s interest in giving voice to those sidelined by history. She has an academic background in political science and international affairs.

Set in Kenya, ‘The Runner’s Gift’ follows Mercy, a gifted distance runner contending with inherited scars, family survival and the hidden cost of excellence. Ken Odak Odumbe (@oddacken) brings 19 years of experience in international development to his writing, often bridging development perspectives with creative expression.

Dawn Immanuel (@dawn_immanuel) is a Nigerian writer and editor based in Ibadan. Her debut short story, ‘The God under the Bed’, explores a young girl coming of age under rigid rules and the governance of an unseen god in her home. She is also the founder of Patchwork Quilt, an end-to-end book production studio.

Hussani Abdulrahim (@hussaniabdul4) was longlisted for the Prize in 2023 and has previously won the Writivism Prize and the Toyin Falola Prize. His story, ‘Arewa Girls’, explores the shared experiences of Northern Nigerian women navigating patriarchal and religious-cultural norms.

In ‘Shock Me I Shock You’, two siblings play a mischievous game that allows them to navigate family dysfunction and personal identity. Ola W. Halim (@OlaposiH) was previously shortlisted in 2021 for ‘An Analysis of a Fragile Affair’.

Nigerian-born Oluwatoke Adejoye (@ttoke_adejoye) now lives and works in Vancouver. Published in Harvard’s Transition Magazine and The New Quarterly, her story ‘New Things’ is set during Nigeria’s transition to democracy, centring on a teenage boy navigating a new guardian and a rapidly evolving country.

‘Me and Ma’am’ unfolds over the course of a single day, capturing the complex relationship between a domestic worker and her employer. Its writer, Lisa-Anne Julien, is originally from Trinidad and Tobago and now lives in Johannesburg. Her novel ‘If You Save Me’ won the University of Johannesburg’s 2022 Debut Prize for Fiction.

Learn more about this year’s shortlist: https://t.co/opgPF77WSx

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

Celebrating fellow #CWPrize shortlisted writers from Africa, ahead of our Regional Winner Announcement on 13th May @commonwealthorg
@cwfcreatives @AnjellahOwino
@dawn_immanuel @Hussaniabdul4 @writingafrica_ @RKbookpublicist

https://t.co/fYVSkwhpvh

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

@WilliamPeiShih Congratulations, @WilliamPeiShih, for this well-deserved win.

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

@Amucheke Thank you, @Amucheke. This means a lot coming from you. I draw a lot of inspiration from your communications and literary work.

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

Thank you, @TNXAfrica, for this article about my shortlisting for the #CWPrize. It is truly an honour to fly the Kenyan Flag. @citizentvkenya @commonwealthorg @cwfcreatives @ntvkenya @StandardKenya @WilliamsRuto @NyangePatience @AnjellahOwino @MpashoNews @writingafrica_

[TNX Africa @TNXAfrica]

Author Ken Odumbe flies Kenya's flag in 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize

https://t.co/S3LBe6jSIV

[Ruth Killick @RKbookpublicist]

@Lexa_Lubanga Exciting news! Kenyan writer Ken Odak Odumbe has been shortlisted for the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize – the world’s most global literature prize. More information can be found here and I can send more info if you wish
https://t.co/zlDyjQfPOd

[Ken Odak Odumbe @oddacken]

@alison_1513 @cwfcreatives Wonderful. I share your joy @alison_1513 as a fellow shortlisted contestant. Regards, Ken Odak Odumbe