Harriet Anena

Anena was born to Acholi parents and raised in the Gulu District of Uganda.{{cite web | url=http://shortstorydayafrica.org/news/for-me-life-is-political | title='For Me, Life Is Political.' An Interview With Harriet Anena | publisher=Short Story Day Africa |date=30 September 2015| access-date= 2 October 2015}} She grew up during the two-decade war led by the Lord's Resistance Army rebels, an episode that birthed and influenced her early writing. Anena attended Gulu Public Primary School, Sacred Heart Secondary School, and Gulu Central High School. She graduated with a Bachelor of Mass Communication degree from Makerere University in 2010 and completed a Master of Arts degree in human rights from the same institution in 2018.{{cite web |author= Joseph Ssemutooke|url=http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/making-budding-poet/-/691232/2615400/-/11yvvy0z/-/index.html | title= The making of a budding poet| work= Daily Monitor |date=7 February 2015| access-date= 17 March 2015}} She is pursuing the MFA Writing program at Columbia University in New York.{{Cite web |last=Anena |first=Harriet |date=2019-07-18 |title=I'm Emptying My Bank Account to Go to Columbia |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/07/columbia-costs-mfa/593215/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}{{Cite web |last5=Kangye |date=2019-05-22 |title=Harriet Anena: Now that Columbia has called… |url=https://davidkangye.com/harriet-anena-now-that-columbia-has-called/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Kangye Writes |language=en-US}}

Anena worked with the Daily Monitor newspaper as a reporter, sub-editor, and deputy chief sub-editor from 2009 to September 2014.{{Cite web |title=Harriet Anena: I Question Politics through Poetry |url=https://itanile.org/harriet-anena-writing-father-uncomfortable/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Itanile |date=13 August 2019 |language=en-GB}} She joined the African Centre for Media Excellence in 2014 and worked as a journalism trainer, media researcher, program coordinator and online content producer until 2019. In August 2019, Anena joined Columbia Journal as its online copy editor. Her journalistic articles have been published in the Daily Monitor,{{cite web|author=Harriet Anena|date=27 November 2012|title=If Uganda 'divorced' colonialism, why are we on our knees over aid cuts?|url=http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/If-Uganda--divorced--colonialism--why-are-we-on/-/689364/1629784/-/113668rz/-/index.html|access-date=17 March 2015|work=Daily Monitor|archive-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120222527/https://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/If-Uganda--divorced--colonialism--why-are-we-on/-/689364/1629784/-/113668rz/-/index.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|author=Harriet Anena|date=27 January 2012|title=Govt must live up to its mandate and tackle the nodding disease|url=http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/-/689364/1314454/-/129lu16z/-/index.html|access-date=17 March 2015|work=Daily Monitor|archive-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120222537/https://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/-/689364/1314454/-/129lu16z/-/index.html|url-status=dead}} New Vision, The Observer, Columbia Journal, The Atlantic and Popula. She has also taught Specialized Writing to journalism students at Islamic University in Uganda.{{cite web|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/magazine/anena-s-poetry-wins-wole-soyinka-prize-1409428|title=Anena's poetry wins Wole Soyinka Prize|author=Bamuturaki Musinguzi|date=28 December 2018|access-date=12 February 2022}}

Anena wrote her first poem, "The plight of the Acholi child", in 2003.{{Cite web |last= |date= 14 October 2018|title=Uganda at 56: Writing Independence (2000-2009) |url=https://writivism.org/2018/10/14/uganda-at-56-2000-2009/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Writivism |language=en}} It won a writing competition organised by the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative and helped secure her a bursary for A-Level education. She attended the 2013 Caine Prize workshop held in Uganda, and her story "Watchdog Games" was published in the anthology A Memory This Size and Other Stories: The Caine Prize for African Writing, 2013.{{cite web | title=Caine prize anthology launched|date=27 April 2013|work=Daily Monitor|author= Dennis D. Muhumuza|url=http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/Caine-prize-anthology-launched/-/691232/1759300/-/oh9h7l/-/index.html | access-date=27 February 2015}} In 2013, she was shortlisted for the "Ghana Poetry prize" for her poem "We Arise".{{cite web | url=http://www.poetryfoundationghana.org/index.php/en/featured/poetry-news/item/800-shortlist-for-ghana-poetry-prize-2013-released | title=Shortlist for Ghana Poetry Prize 2013 Released | publisher=poetryfoundationghana.org | access-date=17 March 2015}}

A Nation In Labour, published in 2015, is her debut book,{{cite web | url=http://www.magunga.com/a-nation-in-labour | title=A Nation In Labour| author=Oduor Jagero|work=The Magunga |date=15 March 2015| access-date=17 March 2015}} a "socially conscious" collection of poems. The New Vision wrote that "Anena and her buffet of poetry will keep you hooked."Caroline Ariba (27 June 2016), [https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1427988/book-review-nation-labour "Book review: A nation is in labour"], New Vision. As described by Tomiwa Ilori, "A Nation in Labour is a four-part treatise that uses elevated language to tell of horror. Anena's collection of poetry warns society about its warped value system through a disciplined use of satiric responses that resonate. Each part of the treatise soaks our desiccated humanity in fluid cadences."{{cite web|author=Tomiwa Ilori|url=http://wawabookreview.com/2015/10/27/rhetoric-of-pain-and-other-resources/|title=Rhetoric of Pain and Other Resources|work=Wawa Book Review|date=27 October 2015|access-date=8 December 2018|archive-date=9 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209124239/http://wawabookreview.com/2015/10/27/rhetoric-of-pain-and-other-resources/|url-status=dead}}

In November 2018, A Nation In Labour was shortlisted for the biennial Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, alongside collections by Tanure Ojaide and Servio Gbadamosi.{{cite news|url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2018/11/03/nine-african-poets-shortlisted-for-2018-wole-soyinka-prize-for-literature/ |title=Nine African poets shortlisted for 2018 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature|author=Kazeem Ugbodada|work=P.M. News|date= 3 November 2018}}Daily Graphic (19 November 2018), [https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/9-african-poets-on-2018-wole-soyinka-prize-for-literature-list.html "9 African poets on 2018 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature list"], Graphic Online.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecable.ng/arena-ojaide-gbadamosi-shortlisted-for-wole-soyinka-prize-for-literature |title=Arena, Ojaide, Gbadamosi shortlisted for Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature|author=Jemilat Nasiru|work=The Cable|date= 28 November 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.writingafrica.com/wole-soyinka-prize-for-literature-2018-shortlist-announced/ |author=James Murua|title=Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature 2018 shortlist announced|website=Writing Africa|date= 29 November 2018|access-date=11 May 2024}} On 9 December 2018, at an award ceremony held in Lagos, Nigeria, Anena and Ojaide were announced joint winners. The prize was judged by Toyin Falola, Olu Obafemi and Margaret Busby (chair).Bamuturaki Musinguzi (10 November 2018), [https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/magazine/ugandan-poet-longlisted-for-wole-soyinka-prize-1406272 "Ugandan poet longlisted for Wole Soyinka prize"], The East African. The award was presented by Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.{{cite web|url=https://www.writingafrica.com/prof-tanure-ojaide-harriet-anena-are-joint-wole-soyinka-prize-for-literature-2018-winners/ |title=Prof Tanure Ojaide, Harriet Anena are joint Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature 2018 winners|author=James Murua|website=Writing Africa|date=10 December 2018|access-date=11 May 2024}}Joseph Kizza, [https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1491013/ugandan-wins-2018-wole-soyinka-prize-literature "Ugandan wins 2018 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature"], New Vision, 10 December 2018.Kungu Al-Mahadi Adam, [https://www.softpower.ug/ugandan-author-harriet-anena-wins-2018-wole-soyinka-prize/ "Ugandan Author, Harriet Anena Wins 2018 Wole Soyinka Prize"], SoftPower News, 10 December 2018.

Her work appears in 2019's New Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Writing by Women of African Descent,[https://myriadeditions.com/books/new-daughters-of-africa/#:~:text=New%20Daughters%20of%20Africa%3A%20An%20International%20Anthology%20of,Africa%2C%20published%2025%20years%20ago%20to%20global%20acclaim New Daughters of Africa] at Myriad Editions. edited by Margaret Busby.

In December 2018, Anena was named winner of the 2018 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa for her book A Nation in Labour, published in 2015.Ninsiima Julian, [http://www.pmldaily.com/news/2018/12/ugandas-harriet-anena-of-acugandas-harriet-anena-wins-wole-soyinka-prize-for-literature-in-africa-2018me-wins-wole-soyinka-prize-for-literature-in-africa.html "Uganda’s Harriet Anena wins Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa 2018"], PML Daily, 10 December 2018.[https://edge.ug/2018/12/10/ugandan-writer-harriet-anena-wins-wole-soyinka-literature-prize/ "Ugandan writer Harriet Anena wins Wole Soyinka Literature Prize"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402130911/http://edge.ug/2018/12/10/ugandan-writer-harriet-anena-wins-wole-soyinka-literature-prize/ |date=2019-04-02 }}, Edge, 10 December 2018. She jointly won the prize with Professor Tanure Ojaide. Anena received her award at a ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, attended by Wole Soyinka, Africa's first Nobel Laureate in literature, after whom the prize is named. The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature is a "pan-African writing prize awarded biennially to the best literary work produced by an African".{{cite web|date=10 December 2018 | url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Ugandan-author-Anena-Soyinka-Literature-Ojaide-prize/688334-4888872-o5j6ad/index.html |title=Ugandan author is joint winner of Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature |newspaper=Daily Monitor |access-date=10 December 2018 |author=Monitor Reporter |location=Kampala}}

Anena's short story "Dancing with Ma" was shortlisted for the 2018 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.[http://www.commonwealthwriters.org/2018-cssp-shortlist/ "2018 Commonwealth Short Story Prize Shortlist"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225191856/https://www.commonwealthwriters.org/2018-cssp-shortlist/ |date=2022-12-25 }}, Commonwealth Writers, 23 May 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/magazine/ugandan-writer-shortlisted-for-commonwealth-prize-1395662|title=Ugandan writer shortlisted for Commonwealth prize|author=Bamuturaki Musinguzi|work=The East African|date=8 June 2018}} In 2017 and 2018, her short fiction, "The Satans Inside My Jimmy" and "Waiting", were longlisted for the Short Story Day Africa Prize.{{Cite web |title=Books |url=http://shortstorydayafrica.org/books |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Short Story Day Africa |language=en-ZA}}

• {{cite book|title=A Nation In Labour|publisher=CreateSpace Publishing|location=Kampala, Uganda|year=2015}}{{Cite web|title=A Nation in Labour {{!}} A Poetry Collection|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/53413186-a-nation-in-labour-a-poetry-collection|access-date=11 August 2020|website=www.goodreads.com}}

• "Forgiveness" and "We Arise", in {{cite book|title=A Thousand Voices Rising: An anthology of contemporary African poetry|editor=Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva|publisher= BN Poetry Foundation|year= 2014|isbn= 978-9970-9234-0-3}}
• [http://enkare.org/sharing-man-country-harriet-anena/ "Sharing My Man With A Country"] in Enkare Review, 15 September 2016
• [http://www.africanwriterstrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/suubi.pdf "I Died Alive"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101081328/http://africanwriterstrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/suubi.pdf |date=2019-11-01 }} in The Suubi Collection (2013)

• "[http://shortstorydayafrica.org/books The Satans Inside My Jimmy]" in Hotel Africa: New Short Fiction from Africa, 2019
• [https://www.addastories.org/dancing-with-ma/ "Dancing with Ma"] in adda, 2018
• "[http://shortstorydayafrica.org/books Waiting]" in ID: New Short Fiction from Africa, 2018
• [http://somanystories.ug/features/short-stories/2014/07/dogs-hungry-harriet-anena "The Dogs Are Hungry "] in Sooo Many Stories, 2014
• [http://bookslive.co.za/blog/2014/05/02/writivism-flash-fiction-friday-early-for-nwacheta-games-of-guilt-a-question-of-underwear-and-the-axe/ "The Axe"] in Bookslive, 2014.

• "[http://columbiajournal.org/review-no-roses-from-my-mouth-by-dr-stella-nyanzi/#:~:text=Review%3A%20No%20Roses%20from%20My%20Mouth%20by%20Dr.,thorny%20as%20the%20writing%20that%20got%20her%20imprisoned. Review: No Roses from My Mouth by Dr Stella Nyanzi]", Columbia Journal, 25 February 2020
• [https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Strange-men-stronger-sex-weaker-sex-rape/688334-5415008-3lnj18/index.html "Strange that men, the stronger sex, should become weaker sex in rape"], Daily Monitor, 12 January 2020
• [https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/07/columbia-costs-mfa/593215/ "I’m Emptying My Bank Account to Go to Columbia"], The Atlantic, 18 July 2019
• [https://anenah.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/for-dr-stella-nyanzi-i-plead-guilty-to-silence/ "For Dr. Stella Nyanzi: I Plead Guilty to Silence"], Journeys Within, 15 June 2019
• [https://anenah.wordpress.com/2019/02/12/misscurvyuganda-heres-why-we-are-cutting-the-tree-and-ignoring-the-roots/ "#MissCurvyUganda: Here’s why we are cutting the tree and ignoring the roots"], Journeys Within, 12 February 2019
• [https://popula.com/2018/10/18/a-sack-of-cash/ "A Sack of Cash: When President Museveni Makes it Rain"], Popula, 18 October 2018
• [https://popula.com/2018/09/20/the-end-of-allowing/ "The End of Allowing: Bobi Wine, Bebe Cool and Uganda's Bottle Revolution"], Popula, 20 September 2018
• [https://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/Mr-President--how-much-do-you-know-about--conflict-resolution-/689844-2029612-igib7a/index.html "Mr President, how much do you know about conflict resolution?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427114017/https://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/Mr-President--how-much-do-you-know-about--conflict-resolution-/689844-2029612-igib7a/index.html |date=2019-04-27 }}, Daily Monitor, 13 October 2013
• [https://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/Gen-Sejusa--you-owe-my-people-an-apology/689844-2121250-gf98wv/index.html "Gen Sejusa, you owe my people an apology"], Daily Monitor, 22 December 2013
• [http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/Child-labour-should-be-a-concern-for-all/-/689844/1734666/-/r4rjen/-/index.html "Child labour should be a concern for all"], Daily Monitor, 31 March 2013.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://anenah.wordpress.com/ Official website]

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Category:Living people

Category:Ugandan women short story writers

Category:21st-century Ugandan women writers

Category:People from Gulu District

Category:Makerere University alumni

Category:21st-century Ugandan poets

Category:Kumusha

Category:Ugandan women poets

Category:21st-century Ugandan short story writers

Category:Ugandan women journalists

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)