Isaac Kanyinji has won the 2025 edition of the Ubwali Hope Prize for his poem “A 2019 Survey on How People Imagine Themselves Dying“ published in Ubwali Literary Magazine’s third issue. Isaac wins publication in the fall issue of Shenandoah and a prize of $500 upon publication.
In Isaac’s words:
“I am truly honoured to see my work come this far. When a poem finds an audience, it reminds me, the writer, that poetry is one way of giving. Getting to win a prize like this one, however, appends something more to the act of offering that poetry already is: It is a reminder that poetry can give back in the form of recognition and that brings me so much joy.”
In partnership with Shenandoah, Ubwali Hope Prize celebrates the best of Zambian prose and poetry. One winner is selected each year. Last year’s winner, Mukandi Siame, received a $500 award, and her winning essay, “Like Mother“, was republished in the current issue of Shenandoah. This year’s competition proved even more competitive, with the editors selecting a shortlist of six––one more than last year’s impressive cohort.
Judged by Ubwali‘s Editor in Chief, Mubanga Kalimamukwento, and 2024 Ubwali Hope Prize winner, Mukandi Siame, the judges faced the arduous task of choosing a winner from a diverse and powerful shortlist. The entries included a searing tale on accountability in the wake of tragedy; a moving tribute to the Black women’s natural hair movement; a gripping poem on shared trauma and the inevitabilities of death; a lyrical meditation on home and its hauntings; an essay rendered as a love letter to water, and an after poem that found melancholic beauty in loss. After a spirited discussion on the merits of each piece, a clear winner emerged––one that encapsulates the remarkable growth and the promising future of Zambian literature that Ubwali has championed since its debut last year.
The judges had the following to say:
“Isaac is a masterful poet. In “A 2019 Survey on How People Imagine Themselves Dying” he delivers a deftly crafted poem, balancing the weight of psychological crisis against the mundanities of daily life without ever veering into self-indulgence. Even within the constraints of such a taut container, he’s successful in capturing the innate human impulse to seek joy amid profound trauma. The language remains accessible throughout, making the poem’s stark contrasts all the more striking—yet, like the malady conveyed in the text, nothing insulates the reader from the devastating blow of that final line. A stunning work from a remarkably promising poet.”
Isaac Kanyinji is a Zambian poet and short story writer. His work has been published in Publish’d Afrika, Poemify, and Salamander Ink Mag. His winning poem can be read here, and his JAY Lit Quick Seven Questions interview can be read here.
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
