Tanzanians celebrate Gurnah's Nobel Literature Prize

Tanzanians are celebrating novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah's Nobel Literature Prize.

The Tanzanian-born author has been exiled in the UK since the late 1960's.

Gurnah's work touches on the grim realities of the effects of colonialism and the traumas experienced by refugees.

Some young authors see this prize as a form of encouragement.

"This will also encourage many of us young authors in the country to continue working hard so that one day we can also achieve a similiar kind of award, I am really proud of him", said Shung Thong, a young author writing in Swahili.

Abdulrazak Gurnah has published 10 novels and a number of short stories. 

Tanzanians described his win as a "victory" for the country and the African continent.

"Today I feel so happy and proud to see my fellow Tanzanian winning such a siginificant prize in the world. This really shows how much he is representing our country through his literature to the world. He has proven to the world that Tanzania also has talent when it come to literature", affirms Residente writer, Emmanuel Amasi.

Abdulrazak Gurnah began writing as a 21 year old in Englad. 

Although Swahili is his first language, English became his literary tool.