Kenyan spoken-word poet Dennis Mwangi, better known as Timelines, finished second at the 2026 World Poetry Slam Championship in Durban, South Africa.
The 67th Grand Slam champion finished second behind Switzerland’s Valerio Moser and ahead of Canada’s Maya Namatovu.
The World Poetry Slam Organisation announced the final standings with a statement that described poetry as an increasingly powerful tool for challenging ideas and inspiring change.
“Poetry has become one of the greatest tools of combat, especially in this day and age. Words have power, voices have strength, and poetry has become a weapon that can challenge minds, inspire change, and move nations,” the organisation said.
“What a powerful reminder that poetry is more than just words; it is a force, a voice, and a form of combat that transcends borders and unites the world.”
Timelines celebrated the achievement as a milestone not only for himself but also for Kenyan poets and young people whose stories often go unheard.
In a message following the competition, he dedicated his performance to young people from villages and informal settlements, as well as aspiring poets seeking opportunities to share their work on international platforms.
“I have done it for Kenya and for everybody, everybody who has often been unable to speak, every young boy and girl in the village or the ghetto, every poet with a dream,” he said.
The poet described his second-place finish as the culmination of years of sacrifice, emotional struggles and support from friends, family, teachers and the wider poetry community.
He also acknowledged the financial contributions of friends and organisations that helped him participate in the international competition, promising to recognise the supporters in a separate post.
Timelines said the achievement demonstrated that Kenyan poets could compete internationally while telling their stories in their own voices.
“It’s our time to reimagine the poetry scene in the world, to heal the world and grow it. Because we are love,” he said.
Beyond celebrating his personal achievement, the poet called for greater investment in the structures that support spoken-word artists, particularly Kenya’s poetry slam scene.
“Let us continue to improve and strengthen the existing ecosystem, especially the Kenya poetry slam,” he said.
