Ungulani was born in Mozambique in 1957. He has degrees in Law, History and Geography. He wrote op-eds for several newspapers, co–founded the literary magazine Charrua and was deputy director at the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual of Mozambique. Currently, he’s the director of the National Institute of Books and Records and the secretary–general of the Association of Mozambican Writers. His debut book, Ualalapi (1987), is listed as one of the best one hundred African books of the twentieth century. It is so far his only publication that was translated into English.