Ugandan software engineer shortlisted for 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize
“I'm absolutely thrilled, but also cannot help feeling a tad fortunate to have made it this far,” Lubwama said.
Lubwama was one of six African writers among the 25 shortlisted in this year’s competition, which had a record 7,920 entries. Others came from Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria and South Africa. (Courtesy Photo)
By Kalungi Kabuye
Journalists @New Vision
He is a software engineer by day, but he also finds time to write. On his third attempt, Joshua Lubwama, 25, became only the third Ugandan writer in 13 years to be shortlisted for one of the most prestigious writing competitions in the English-speaking world, 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
Only one has gone on to win the ultimate prize, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, in 2014.
“I'm absolutely thrilled, but also cannot help feeling a tad fortunate to have made it this far,” Lubwama said.
“Making the last twenty-five out of almost eight thousand stories couldn't possibly have been luck, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize is one I've been looking at for a long time, so it feels surreal.”
Lubwama was one of six African writers among the 25 shortlisted in this year’s competition, which had a record 7,920 entries. Others came from Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria and South Africa.
Others on the shortlist were from Antigua and Barbuda, Australia (3), Bangladesh, Canada (2), Guyana, India (2), Jamaica, New Zealand (2), Pakistan, Saint Lucia, Samoa and the United Kingdom (3).
“A great story moves us, causes us to think, and sometimes changes us,” said Dr Vilsoni Hereniko from Rotuma, Fiji, Chair of the Judges. “This shortlist of relevant, vibrant, and essential reading is made up of the best 25 stories from a pool of almost 8,000 entries. Together, they demonstrate why the short story form must continue to be supported and promoted.”
The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually for unpublished short fiction from adult citizens of the 56 member states of the Commonwealth. It was set up in 2012 to replace the Commonwealth Short Story Competition, which ran from 1996 to 2011.
Five regional winners (Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific) are chosen and each gets £2,500 (sh12m). The overall winner gets a total of £5,000 (sh24m). The regional winners will be announced on 14th May, and the overall winner will be announced on 25th June.
The last Ugandan writer to be shortlisted was Ber (formerly Harriet) Anena in 2018 for her story Dancing with Ma, she is now doing a PhD in the USA This was the third time that Lubwama has submitted an entry, getting a rejection in 2023 and then making the longlist in 2024.
“I write primarily out of a desire to reproduce for others and myself the sheer pleasure and insight that I've continually derived as a reader from consuming the works of authors like Flannery O'Connor and Harper Lee and Jhumpa Lahiri,” Lubwama said.