Words by Musonda Mukuka
Zambian writer Mali Kambandu has been shortlisted for the 2026 Miles Morland Scholarship, selected from a pool of over 600 applicants.
Kambandu is one of 20 writers in the running for one of the four annual awards, which grant successful applicants over £18,000 over the course of a year to enable them to complete an English-language book.
Kambandu joins a list of only two other Zambians who have made the shortlist since the grant’s inception – considered one of the most prestigious on the continent: Bwanga Kapumpa, who was shortlisted in 2020 and 2021, and Mubanga Kalimamukwento, who was awarded the grant in 2023.
Kambandu’s literary achievements up until this point include winning the Kalemba Short Story Prize, having her work published on literary platforms including Brittle Paper, Jaylit and Ubwali Literary Magazine, and being named runner-up for the 2024 Island Prize. She currently serves as the fiction editor for Ubwali Literary Magazine.
Although Kambandu has always enjoyed telling stories, she began writing in earnest at university, later spending several years working as a screenwriter before turning to fiction around 2016.
When reflecting on her shortlisting, Kambandu describes it as a privilege, admitting that she was “honestly ‘wowed’” by the news. Having applied for the scholarship before, she sees this year’s shortlisting as a step forward.
Women serve as the focal point in Kambandu’s fiction, and the lens through which she explores and challenges different themes. Using everyday people and experiences to navigate larger topics.
Her story When There Are No Words, for instance, explores grief and identity from the perspective of someone who has died, reflecting her interest in finding different ways to approach familiar human experiences.
The process through which she lands at these polished stories, though, can be “lengthy and unpredictable”, with concepts sometimes taking months to develop before they make their way to the page.
After which they go through a rigorous drafting and editing process, and even a 3,000-word short story can take more than nine months to complete.
One thing that is consistent about her writing process, though, is where the story is going: “One thing I’ve carried with me all through the years is to always know my ending, so that is like the engine that keeps me writing a particular piece – executing the ending”.
Despite having lived in several countries, Kambandu says her writing remains rooted in Zambia, even as her experiences abroad have shaped her worldview and creative perspective.
“I did my undergrad in the US and spent some time in the UK, and I think those places obviously had an impact on my worldview and my access to different cultural disciplines. But I write with my homeland and home experience in mind,” she says.
Having grown up in Zimbabwe, she also draws on aspects of its culture, which sometimes find their way into her characters and stories. “All the different places I’ve lived in come through when I need them, but the root of my storytelling is Zambia.”
For aspiring writers, Kambandu echoes the advice of Zambian-born writer Namwali Serpell: “Read, read and then read some more.”
She encourages writers to engage with a wide range of literature, from classics and contemporary fiction to works across different genres, emphasising that reading helps writers understand how stories are constructed and how different literary techniques are executed.
She also stresses the importance of supporting fellow writers, describing the literary world as an ecosystem that must be nurtured, particularly in Africa and Zambia.
The winners of the 2026 Miles Morland Scholarship are expected to be announced in December. As Kambandu awaits the announcement, we wish her the best of luck and look forward to following her continued journey as a writer.
Picture: Mali Kambandu.
