Motswana woman writer scoops top prize

The annual competition drew over 1,200 entries from all over southern Africa and the top prize was R25,000 (about P23, 000). The 43-year-old Kubuitsile has been living in Botswana since 1989 and has published a novel The Final Payout with Macmillan, which has been prescribed by the Ministry of Education to be used in libraries in junior secondary schools. According to Kubuitsile, the novella is part of a three-book series.

Kubuitsile, who also writes for Mmegi, says she first learnt about the competition last year and entered it though she did not win any prize then. She tried her luck again this year with the short story The Christmas Wedding, which triumphed this time round.