Makena Onjerika (born 1980s) is a Kenyan writer, who won the 2018 Caine Prize for African Writing,[2] making her the fourth writer from her country to do so—following wins by Binyavanga Wainaina in 2002 and Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor in 2003, and Okwiri Oduor in 2013.

[3] In July 2018, Makena won the 2018 Caine Prize for African Writing[4] – often described as Africa's leading literary award, for her short story entitled "Fanta Blackcurrant", published in Wasafiri magazine (2017).

[5] The ceremony was held for the second time in London University's Senate House, in partnership with SOAS and the Centre for African Studies.

Makena Onjerika’s 'Fanta Blackcurrant' presides over a grammar and architecture of its own making, one that eschews any trace of sentimentality in favour of a narrative that is haunting in its humour, sorrow and intimacy.

"[6] Makena is a graduate of the MFA Creative Writing programme at New York University, and has been published in Urban Confusions and Wasafiri.