NAIROBI, Kenya — December 2025 — The African Christian publishing landscape marked another significant milestone as the 5th African Christian Authors Book Award (ACABA) BookFest & Gala, organized by CLC Kenya, convened in Nairobi with record-breaking participation and a growing global footprint.
Now considered one of the premier platforms for spotlighting Christian authorship in Anglophone Africa, ACABA received 131 submissions from 22 countries in 2025—its widest reach yet in its vision to unite all 27 Anglophone African nations under one Christian literature ecosystem.
The gala drew (in-person) authors, publishers, and partners from Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Italy, and Switzerland, underscoring the continent’s expanding influence in global Christian writing and the strengthening partnerships across the international publishing community.
A Year of Strategic Partnerships and Cross-Continental Collaboration
Global Trainers of Trainers (ToT)
The CLC Kenya/ACABA teams received specialized capacity-building support through partnerships with Africa Speaks, Publishing in Color (a connection established at the 2023 ECPA PubU conference), and Media Associates International, ensuring that the training offered to African authors reflects global best practices in Christian publishing.
From these trainings, each year, ACABA expands its mandate beyond awards by running year-round author training and empowerment programs designed to strengthen writing, editing, publishing and distribution skills across the continent. These initiatives will continue into 2026 as part of ACABA’s long-term commitment to raising publishing standards in Africa.
Literature/Content Partners
CLC Kenya/ACABA engaged 61 partners across Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Scotland—including Tyndale Kids, Christian Focus Publications, Dernier Publishing, Answers in Genesis, Goodwill Rights Management, Urban Press, and African Christian publishers serving the African market.
The year also marked deeper collaboration with YouVersion East Africa and YouVersion South Africa, signaling a major strategic shift toward digital discipleship and global distribution opportunities for African Christian authors in 2026 and beyond.
Patrick and Dr. Muthoni Omukhango, who lead both CLC Kenya and ACABA, noted that the continued rise in submissions and partnerships reflects a “growing hunger for authentically African, Christ-centered writing and a renewed commitment to advancing readership and authorship across the continent.”
Translations
Translations are becoming a strategic pillar in ACABA’s vision to amplify African Christian literature globally. Through the support of CLC International, Africa is gaining access to French, Spanish, Italian, and Korean translation pathways, enabling ACABA authors to see their works carried into new linguistic and cultural contexts. These expanding opportunities ensure that African stories, theological reflections, and discipleship resources transcend borders, enriching the global Church with authentically African voices and perspectives.
2025 ACABA Award Recipients
Young Readers Category
- Augustine Mulenga (South Africa) – David, the Great King; Robbie the Raven and Debbie the Dove
- Florence Mlambo (Kenya) – Her Legacy Lives: Embracing the Essence of Biblical Heroines in Modern Society
- Blessings Ongeri (Kenya) – Journey Through the Bible: A Devotional for Kids (By Children for Children)
Family Category
- Nancy Mwabili (Kenya) – Hope Unbowed: Faith Lessons During an 11 Year Season of Childlessness
- Tafadzwa Rwizi (Zimbabwe) – Pre-Marital Wisdom: What You Need to Know Before You Say ‘I Do’
Men/Women Category
- Titus Otieno (Kenya) – Activated Husband: Unmasking and Conquering Six Portraits of Dysfunction in Husbandhood
Business & Finance
- George Oyuga (Kenya) – Dance With My Money: Tango Dance Your Finances to the Next Level
Missions & Church / Theology
- Jemimah Nzola (Kenya) – Blessed Beginnings: Pray, Plan and Prepare for Your Baby Throughout Pregnancy
- Dr. Onkeme Letshwiti (Botswana) – Fire in the Pulpit: A homiletics Guide to Powerful and Purposeful Preaching
Board Games
- Truphie & Wangechi (Kenya) – The Fun Animal Puzzle Book
Christians in Other Disciplines
- Dr. John Mbugua (Kenya) – Shepherding the Sunset Years for Clergy: Staying Relevant and joyful in Post-Ministry Life
- Dr. Wilson Mbugua (Kenya) – Planning for Lifestyle in Retirement
Mental Health & Addictions
- Mabel Masigale (Zimbabwe) – Healing or Hiding? Discovering, Uncovering and recovering from Hidden Emotional Pain to Wholeness
Christian Living
- Stanley Mkhwanazi (Eswatini) – Redefine Your Worth: How to Overcome Hopeless Thoughts and Enjoy God’s Unfailing Love
- Samson Njenga (Kenya) – The Chain of Destiny: Fulfilling Your Life’s Purpose
Culture & the Arts
- Margaret Kimaiyo (Kenya) – The Untold Story of the Turkana Girl: Navigating Challenges and Cultivating Resilience for the Marginalized Turkana Girl
History & Biography
- Mary Gachau (Kenya) – Caregivers: The Silent Partners in Cancer Care
Leadership
- Kingston Ogango (Kenya) – Mentoring: A Practical Guide for Growing and Developing Leaders
Overall Awards
Book Program of the Year (Sponsored by CLC USA under The George Verwer Legacy Award)
- Patrick Makewa (Kenya) – True Love Waits: Discover About Love and Sex
- David Njeru (Kenya) – Naked Truth About Sex
Book Cover of the Year (Sponsored by Tyndale House Ministries under The Kenneth N. Taylor Legacy Award)
- Magdalene Nasimiyu (Kenya) – Until My Last Breath: An Abandoned Devotion
- Monica Mueni (Kenya) – Wind of Change: My Experience After Salvation
- Teteyian Nangurai (Kenya) – Unbroken: Smiling Through the Pain
Book Content of the Year (Sponsored by CLC USA under The Ken & Bessie Adams Legacy Award)
- Patrick Makewa (Kenya) – True Love Waits: Discover About Love and Sex
A Growing Literary Movement Across Africa
ACABA continues to serve as a catalytic platform for discovering new voices, elevating high-quality Christian literature, and strengthening cross-border collaboration between authors, publishers, translators, illustrators, designers, and ministry leaders.
The 2025 Gala reaffirmed the movement’s commitment to professionalizing Christian writing across Africa, improving production standards, nurturing emerging authors—including children and teens through Mama Africa Book Box—and building sustainable distribution pipelines.
Through its partnership with global and continental ministries and publishers, ACABA is amplifying African stories, scholarship, and discipleship content to serve the Church worldwide.
About CLC
CLC is an International Mission Organization whose story began in 1941 with a single Christian bookshop in Colchester, England, founded by Ken and Bessie Adams. Today, the ministry has grown into a global network with its International Office still based in the UK and an active presence in more than 44 countries. Its statement of purpose remains clear and unwavering: “To honor God by making Christian literature and resources available and accessible to all nations, to help people come to faith and maturity in the Lord Jesus Christ.”
About CLC Kenya
CLC Kenya (https://kenyaclc.org/), established in 2007 in Nairobi, is one of the 44 member countries carrying this mission forward. The work is accomplished through writing classes, publishing, and printing, as well as two community initiatives:
- ACABA – Recognizing, celebrating, and promoting quality in Christian authorship across Africa (https://africanauthors.net/).
- MABB – Building godly families through book-based discipleship for children, teens and their families (https://mabb.kenyaclc.org/).
Together, these expressions of the CLC mission continue to shape lives, strengthen the Church, and broaden access to Christian literature across Africa.
Contact: Dr. Muthoni Mercy Omukhango, muthoni.omukhango@cblafrica.com +254720817962
