“For we live with those retrievals from childhood that coalesce and echo throughout our lives, the way shattered pieces of glass in a kaleidoscope reappear in new forms and are songlike in their refrains and rhymes, making up a single monologue. We live permanently in the recurrence of our own stories, whatever story we tell.” ― Michael Ondaatje

Troy Onyango is a London-based writer and editor from Kisumu, Kenya, and the founder of Lolwe, a Pan-African literary and arts platform. He is also the owner of Lolwe Books, an independent Pan-African bookshop with branches in both Kenya and the UK. His debut collection of short stories, For What Are Butterflies Without Their Wings, was published in 2022. His work has appeared in Prairie Schooner, Doek!, Wasafiri, Isele Magazine, Johannesburg Review of Books, AFREADA, Dgëku Magazine, Nairobi Noir, and Transition, among other publications. He was a judge for the 2026 International Booker Prize and the Novel Beginnings Competition. He was the winner of the inaugural Nyanza Literary Festival Prize and a finalist for the Caine Prize for African Writing, the Future Awards Africa, the Short Story Day Africa Prize, Black Letter Media Competition, and the Brittle Paper Awards. He has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. An alumnus of the Caine Prize Workshop, Miles Morland Workshop, Jalada Workshop, Goethe Workshop, and the Kwani?-SLS Workshop, he has also been a writer-in-residence at the Ebedi Writers Residency in Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, an MA in Creative Writing (with distinction) from the University of East Anglia—where he was a Miles Morland Foundation Scholar—and an MA in African Studies from SOAS University of London. 

“A herald of literary wonders to come.” – Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, author of Dust

“The vibrant intensities of Onyango’s deftly crafted characters makes this collection of stories come alive.” – TJ Benson, author of The Madhouse

Troy Onyango’s For What Are Butterflies Without Their Wings is a collection of twelve short stories that have a quickening pulse and pages crackling with sharp observations and gentle revelations about love, loneliness, loss, longing, and the infinite intricacies of daily human life.

In the opening story, The Transfiguration a trans woman tries to find herself and a sense of belonging in the unkind streets of Nairobi. A sister relives two decades of sibling rivalry when the brother disappears in a lake in the titular story For What Are Butterflies Without Their Wings. Two friends grow apart as they grow older and realise their paths diverge in Goodbye, So Long.

In these beautiful stories that straddle the breadth of Kenya, Troy’s characters navigate the daily lived experiences that shape them, as they learn to cobble together an existence alongside a society with rules that do not quite fit.

“With accomplished perceptive prose and a voice that is all his own, Onyango transports the reader towards and beyond the unexplored frontiers and territories of the self. This debut collection of short stories is a crucial and long-awaited entry into the African literary tradition.” – Rémy Ngamije, author of The Eternal Audience of One

Private Tutor: Creative Writing

I offer private lessons for those interested in taking their fiction writing to a new level. These classes take place over Zoom and are aimed at people who want to learn more about the essential elements of craft. Some of the elements of storytelling we talk about include: Plot, Sub-plot, Point of View, Character, Theme, Setting, Language, Style, Tone, Dialogue, Beginnings, Endings, Editing and Publishing. I will work with you to help you produce a story that’s ready for publishing. I hold an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, and it is this knowledge that I will use to guide you to improve your writing. If interested, please  send an email to troy@troyonyango.com.

Founder and Facilitator: Lolwe Academy

Lolwe Academy is a space for creative writing courses by African authors. The courses are geared towards helping writers achieve their goals by providing guidance from experienced writers who give valuable feedback on the work presented. Focus is placed on getting the work to a high standard that is of publishable quality. The classes also create an understanding of the different elements of craft and guide the writer towards achieving a style that’s consistent with their own voice.