Zimbabwean writer Simbarashe Steyn Kundizeza has won the 2026 Caine Prize for African Writing. This was announced on the Caine Prize website.
Mr. Kundizeza beat four other writers who were also shortlisted for the prize. Among them was Nigerian writer Akinwande Remilekun Jordan, the only Nigerian on this year's list.
Mr. Jordan's short story, So Long It’s Starting To Look Like Eternity, was in competition with stories from Kenya, Cameroon, Egypt, and Zimbabwe. This story was published by Naira Books in the anthology A House That’s Not A Home.
The judging panel was led by Nigerian broadcaster and journalist Bola Mosuro. She headed a five-member panel that chose Mr. Kundizeza as the winner.
Mr. Kundizeza received the £10,000 prize for his short story, The Blue Fighter, published by The Shallow Tales Review.
With this win, Mr. Kundizeza becomes the third Zimbabwean to claim the Caine Prize. Brian Chikwava won it in 2004 and NoViolet Bulawayo in 2011. Nigeria has had seven winners since 2001, including Helon Habila, Segun Afolabi, E.C. Osundu, Rotimi Babatunde, Tope Folarin, Lesley Nneka Arimah, and Irenosen Okojie.
The Blue Fighter tells the story of a young boy named Tinashe and his family. They face financial struggles after his father quits his job to build fish tanks.
As money runs low, Tinashe’s mother must choose between supporting her husband's dream and ensuring the family survives.
At first glance, The Blue Fighter seems to be about fish tanks. But it is really about a family dealing with tough times.
Tinashe’s father becomes so focused on his fish tank project that the family begins to suffer. His mother must find ways to keep things running at home while managing her husband's dreams.
The fish tanks turn into more than just objects in the story. They symbolize the father's dream and the cost the family pays for it.
Mr. Kundizeza mentioned that the story grew from a poem by Vangile Gantsho. He discovered it during the LOATAD Black Atlantic Residency in Accra.
He said the poem made him reflect on “tenderness” and the need to keep moving forward, which later influenced his story. He also shared that he wrote the first draft in one sitting before revising it for improvement.
Mr. Kundizeza was one of five writers on this year's shortlist.
The other shortlisted writers included:
Gladwell Pamba from Kenya, The Last Shop
Melara Mvogdobo from Cameroon, Dieu Merci!
Akinwande Jordan from Nigeria, So Long Now It’s Starting To Look Like Eternity
Yasmine Zohdi from Egypt, The Absence of Stains
Ms. Mosuro described Mr. Kundizeza's story as “gripping, moving and beautifully crafted.” She noted that he captures “the complexities of family, denial and devotion with remarkable emotional power.” She added that the story is told in a “deceptively simple manner” but leaves “a profound and lasting impact.”
Mr. Kundizeza is a Zimbabwean writer living in Harare. He serves as an Associate Editor at African Writer Magazine. His works have also appeared in Transition Magazine, The Wrong Patient and Other Stories from Africa and The Shallow Tales Review.
His novel manuscript, Freelance, won the 2024 Island Prize for Debut African Fiction. He was also a finalist in the 2018 Africa Book Club Short Story Competition and participated in the 2025 LOATAD Black Atlantic Residency.
The Caine Prize started in 2000. It is awarded every year for a short story written by an African and published in English.
The winner gets £10,000, while each of the other shortlisted writers receives £500.
For Mr. Kundizeza, this win confirms that the time spent writing, despite his many responsibilities, has been worthwhile.
He mentioned that this recognition has boosted his confidence to continue making time for his writing.
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