By Inertia Ayvor Moyo

Zimbabwe’s poetry community gathered in Harare on 27 February at Nicoz Diamond, Samora Machel Avenue, as the 5th edition of the Poetry Red Carpet Awards honoured outstanding poets, creatives, and cultural contributors, recognising achievements across spoken word, literature, media, and community impact.

The awards ceremony, held under the theme “Red Velvet,” celebrated artistic expression and storytelling while spotlighting both emerging voices and established figures shaping Zimbabwe’s growing poetry scene.

Major Winners of the Night

Golden Maxxy emerged as one of the biggest winners, taking home Poet of the Year, while Johnson Tapfuma claimed victory in the Online Category, reflecting the growing influence of digital platforms in poetry promotion.

In performance-based categories, Garnet Mutserwa won Spoken Word Video of the Year for My Generation Is Lost, while Jaydee Poet, Anele Nkundlandle, and I Eat Lemons secured wins in the Shona, Ndebele, and English Spoken Word categories respectively.

Bulawayo-based writer Fiona John was recognised as Page Poet of the Year, highlighting the continued contribution of written poetry alongside performance art.

Recognising Impact Beyond Performance

The ceremony also honoured individuals and organisations contributing to the ecosystem surrounding poetry. WordKalcha received Sponsor of the Year, while Harare Open Mic was named Event of the Year, acknowledging platforms that nurture live artistic expression.

Awards recognising community and cultural influence included Kommy The Poet for Social Impact, Irvine Tanya as Mentor of the Year, and African Daughter as Poetry Enthusiast.

Collaboration honours went to Anele Nkundlandle ft Noxie the Poet for Athandwe Mama, while Felicia Mabasa was recognised as Promising Artist, signalling the rise of new voices within the space.

Expanding Poetry’s Creative Reach

The awards extended beyond traditional poetry categories, recognising storytelling across media and accessibility. The Everyday Buzz won Podcast of the Year, Mangaliso Kabulika received Media Coverage, and Fadzai was honoured with the Poetry in Sign Language Award, reflecting inclusivity within the art form.

Special recognition also went to Mavis the Poet, who received the Ability Award, celebrating resilience and artistic contribution.

Notably, the Legendary Poet and Achiever of the Year categories were not awarded this year.

A Growing Cultural Platform

Now in its fifth edition, the Poetry Red Carpet Awards continue to position themselves as a key platform celebrating spoken word culture in Zimbabwe, bringing together poets, audiences, and industry supporters while reinforcing poetry’s place within the country’s broader creative economy.

Full List of Winners — Poetry Red Carpet Awards 2026

Online Category — Johnson Tapfuma

Poet of the Year — Golden Maxxy

Spoken Word Video of the Year — Garnet Mutserwa (My Generation Is Lost)

Page Poet of the Year — Fiona John (Bulawayo)

English Spoken Word — I Eat Lemons

Shona Spoken Word — Jaydee Poet

Ndebele Spoken Word — Anele Nkundlandle

Sponsor of the Year — WordKalcha

Event Host — Morset Billie

Event of the Year — Harare Open Mic

Poetry Enthusiast — African Daughter

Anthology of the Year — Beyond the Mountains (Marcus Zumba)

Social Impact — Kommy The Poet

Podcast of the Year — The Everyday Buzz

Mentor of the Year — Irvine Tanya

Collaboration of the Year — Anele Nkundlandle ft Noxie the Poet (Athandwe Mama)

Promising Artist — Felicia Mabasa

Media Coverage — Mangaliso Kabulika

Ability Award — Mavis the Poet

Poetry in Sign Language Award — Fadzai

Legendary Poet — None

Achiever of the Year — None