eKitabu book stand during the Nairobi International Book Fair./HANDOUT

Up to 99 learners have received prizes in this year’s Digital Essay Competition, which recorded its highest-ever number of entries and introduced a new category for mother tongue languages.

The winners received their awards during the Nairobi International Book Fair at the Sarit Expo Centre in Westlands, Nairobi, on September 25, 2026. Another 125 finalists are expected to receive prizes in their respective schools.

The competition attracted more than 24,900 essays from learners in upper primary, junior and senior schools across Kenya.

The awards included scholarship funds for the next academic year, computing devices, certificates and gift hampers.

The annual competition was established by local publisher eKitabu in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. It has run for 14 years across all 47 counties and is open to learners with and without disabilities, including those in refugee camps and special needs schools.

This year’s theme, “Let me speak,” gave learners an opportunity to write about issues affecting their lives, including their fears, struggles, hopes and ideas.

Speaking on behalf of the Director for Special Needs Education, Fred Haga, ministry official Sheila Lutta said the topic enabled learners to express themselves openly.

“The birds speak; the mountains speak. Nature reminds us that we can speak in many different languages,” she said.

Kenya Publishers Association chairman Musyoka Muli urged learners to use the competition to develop their writing skills.

“It is satisfying that you are utilising this opportunity to grow yourselves. Education is the key to self-expression,” Muli said.

eKitabu chief executive Will Clurman said the organisers had observed less use of artificial intelligence in the submissions compared with the previous year.

“We invited young people to speak in a way that was very open. They wrote about their lives, fears, struggles, hopes and ideas,” he said.

Clurman added that the connection between written language and self-expression made this year’s submissions special.

The competition also introduced a mother tongue category, which attracted 371 entries representing 34 languages and dialects.

The new category joined nine existing categories: English, Kiswahili, French, German, Arabic, Braille, art, Kenyan Sign Language and Mandarin Chinese.

Overall, entries represented 46 languages. Spanish, Hindi, Korean and Japanese received submissions for the first time.

eKitabu Senior Manager for Programmes Michael Ng’eno welcomed the record participation and the inclusion of mother tongue languages.

“This will enhance the use of the mother tongue in writing and also in expression,” he said.

Up to 65 expert judges participated in assessing the essays. Beatrice Kikuyu, a teacher at Mary Lusweti Comprehensive School in Kakamega County and a member of the judging panel, said the quality of writing had improved.

She said the theme encouraged learners to address issues affecting them, including matters they might find difficult to discuss with parents and teachers.

Bullying featured prominently in the essays, while one learner from western Kenya wrote about parents allegedly being asked to pay between Sh5,000 and Sh10,000 to facilitate cheating for their children.

The competition has attracted more than 137,000 students since its inception in 2013, providing a platform for young people to develop their writing skills and communicate their experiences.

Prof Mukoma Ngugi, an author and son of the late Prof Ngugi wa Thiong’o, welcomed the recognition of African languages at the event.

“I am happy to be here and to see the recognition of African languages,” he said.