Poetry Updates

Reviews, news and what’s happening in the world of poetry across Uganda and East Africa — featuring Kitara Nation poets, books, shows and the wider scene.

Reviews · News · East African Poetry

Reviews & Features

Reviews of Our Books & Shows

What critics, journals and readers have said about Kitara Nation poets, books and productions.

The Johannesburg Review of Books

‘No Speaking Vernacular! (Woloolo)’ — a poem by Kagayi Ngobi

The JRB exclusive publishing the full performance poem — staged by Kitara Nation at the Uganda National Theatre.

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Resolute Scribbles

Review: No Speaking Vernacular & Don’t Love Me in English

A paired review of Kagayi Ngobi’s No Speaking Vernacular and Bridget Ankunda’s Don’t Love Me in English — both Kitara Nation Series titles.

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Muwado

Who is a Poet? Kagayi’s ‘For My Negativity’ & ‘No Speaking Vernacular’

A critical essay on two of Kagayi Ngobi’s celebrated works and what they say about Ugandan performance poetry.

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The Johannesburg Review of Books

Kagayi Ngobi on his protest poetry — in conversation with James Murua

An interview on performance, protest and the staging of poems like Arrest the Poem, plus two poems to read.

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Africa in Dialogue

Poetry is the Language of the Streets: A Dialogue with Kagayi Ngobi

An in-depth conversation on Kitara Nation, publishing poetry in Uganda, and the performance tradition.

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Muwado

From Vanished Firesides to Global Stages: Uganda’s Poetry Renaissance

A feature on the rise of Ugandan poetry and spoken word — the scene Kitara Nation helped build.

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Press & Profiles

Kitara Nation in the News

A running portal of what’s being said about our work, poets and partners in the press and on stage.

Maxim Gorki Theater (Berlin)

Peter Kagayi Ngobi — company profile

An international stage profile of Kitara Nation co-founder Kagayi Ngobi.

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Kitara Group Book Clubs

About Kitara Nation — book reviews & reading circles

Reader reviews and notes on Kitara Nation Series titles from the book-club community.

Browse reviews →

In Print

The Kitara Nation Series

Titles published by Kitara Nation. Where a published review exists, it is linked.

No Speaking Vernacular — Kagayi NgobiReview
Don’t Love Me in English — Bridget AnkundaReview
The New Headline That Morning — Kagayi Ngobi
For My Negativity — Kagayi NgobiReview
Yellow Pupu Poems — Kagayi Ngobi
The Godplayers — Itah Patience Mbekhi
Light — Rushongoza Nkabafunzaki Begumya
Decountryrized (I Have Left My Home In Your Memory) — Acha Divine Patandjilla
Lamenting Sirens — Richard Otwao
Anthem for Africa — Timothy Wangusa
Why We Sing — Bash Fahad Mutumba
Alternate Universe — Agaba I.T.
Kampala Nga Gagwiire — Nalongo Ruth Namusobya
Ogenda Wa? (First edition) — Ssebo Lule
Arise and Eat; For the Journey Is Too Long — Harriet Sakira
When Your Child Lives in Heaven but the Grief Lives in Your Body — Harriet Kanyunyuzi Sakira
Jirani and Other Short Stories — Balaba Aseka
The Poetry Bungalow — Seeta High School, Mukono
Rhymes, Metaphors and I — Best of Verse in Vac 2015–2020
Ungodly Hour — Mt. St Mary’s College, Namagunga
With Pens That Shout and Mouths That Shut — Rhymers Club, Nabisunsa Girls’ School
One Day the Sun Will Visit My Home — St. Joseph’s Girls’ SSS, Nsambya
The Savannah Knows No Friends — Select poems from 13 Uganda high schools
Nothing to Read Here — A Budonian Anthology of Poems

Beyond Kitara

The World of Poetry in East Africa

Festivals, prizes, new books and events from across the region — curated by our pool of writers.