Yannick Ethan Kaumbo was announced the winner of the Prix Zamenga 2021 at a ceremony in Kinshasa, DR Congo on Saturday, October 30, 2021.
Prix Zamenga, named after Congolese writer and philanthropist Zamenga Batukezanga, is a literary competition open to Congolese writers under 40 living in the DRC or abroad. Those who enter the prize, organized by la Délégation Générale Wallonie-Bruxelles, submit an unpublished short story, a short fictional story to the prize. The prize includes a category for pupils going from first to sixth of the humanities, in the schools of the DRC. Previous winners in the adult category have been Marshall Ahongo (2019) and Patrick Kalonji Kabengele (2018).
The jury for 2021 was made up of the Congolese writers Munkulu Di Deni, Marthe Bosuandole and Baudouin Bikoko. The winner was awarded as at a ceremony at La Grande Rentrée Littéraire De Kinshasa in the presence of deputy mayor of the commune of Kalamu and the Belgian Minister of Education.
The winners for the adults and pupils are;
Adults (under 40)
1. Sous haute sécurité à Buluo, Yannick Ethan Kaumbo
2. Et leurs cœurs saignaient à l’unisson, Jonathan Elanga
3. Névrose, Marc Bamenga
4. Misandre, Sifa Akilimali
5. Secret De Famille, Yamba Yamba Joseph/Kolwezi
6. Que Le Ciel Me Pardonne, N’sinabau Eyayi Rais
7. Âme Avortée, Inghoy Mbwamanga Israël
8. Survivre/Baby, Mapanga Makim Baby.
9. Je Ne Te Lâcherai Pas!, Archip-Joseph Mukoko Ngondo
10. Aujourd’hui, Je Meurs, Wiyombo Nephtali.
Pupils
1. NYOTA YA CONGO, Grace Bilola Lamama/ CS LA SAGESSE
2. L’AUDITION DE MELODYDavid Masina Musadi / Collège St Joseph Elikya
3. ÉTAT D’ÂME/Alvine Mukanya
4. LE BONHEUR, Est- il vraiment hors de portee? Mokuba Blessing/ INSTITUT BOBOKOLI
Richard Ali, Head of the Wallonia-Brussels Library and coordinator of this Prize announced that the winners’ will be published in an anthology in 2022. He also revealed that the call for papers for the 5th edition will be made very soon.
