- Judge Siphiwo Mahala, Chair
Siphiwo Mahala is an academic, short story writer, novelist and playwright. He is a graduate of the University of Fort Hare, holds a Masters degree in African Literature from Wits University, and a PhD. in English Literature from the University of South Africa. His debut novel, When a Man Cries, was published in 2007. He is the author of two critically acclaimed plays, The House of Truth (2016) and Bloke and His American Bantu (2021), two short story collections, African Delights (2011) and Red Apple Dreams and Other Stories (2019), and a biography, Can Themba: The Making and Breaking of the Intellectual Tsotsi (2022). He is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Judge Bisi Adjapon
Bisi Adjapon is the author of The Teller of Secrets, a Washington Post/Essence/Globe and Mail top 20 novel published in November 2021 by HarperCollins. The short story version, Of Women and Frogs, was nominated for the Caine Prize. Her second novel, Daughter in Exile, is forthcoming from HarperCollins March 2023. She has written for and been featured in many publications including McSweeney’s Quarterly, Washington Post, Ms Magazine, Aljazeera, New York Times and Washington Times. She founded and ran the Young Shakespeare company for four years in America, and, as an International Affairs Specialist for the US Foreign Service, she won the Civil Rights Award for Human Relations. As an educator, she won an Excellence in Teaching award and is a member of The Who is Who of the best teachers in America. She divides her time between Ghana and America.
- Judge Faith Oneya
Faith Oneya is a media practitioner, opinion columnist and creative writer. Her articles have appeared in several publications, including the Standard, African Woman Magazine, Daily Nation and the EastAfrican. Her short stories have been featured in several anthologies, the latest being Nairobi Noir (2020). Her children’s book, The Girl with a Big Heart (2018), was approved for use as a class reader by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.
Faith holds a Master of Arts degree in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Kenya and a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She also holds a Bachelor of Education (English and Literature) degree from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
She is a member of the Kenya Editors’ Guild and the Association of Media Women in Kenya. She’s also an editorial board member of Jahazi Arts Journal.
