Announcing the news, Savanna Pictures chief executive officer Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the move was part of a broader programme meant to ensure that Kabanana spreads to all parts of Africa.
Savanna Pictures, which is a subsidiary of Savanna Media Centre, produces Zambia’s first soap — Kabanana.
Hwengwere also revealed that his Zambian-based company is also bringing a highly popular reality show, My Own Boss, which is set to enter its third season with auditions due on Thursday.
“Kabanana is a very popular soap in Zambia and it had a successful stint here in Zimbabwe — now we want to make it even better by bringing in Zimbabwean actors into the soap. We have already given the current Nama (National Arts Merit Award) best actor (Dax Jackson) from Fading Pictures a role in the drama.
“We don’t believe that an African programme should have a cast that is confined to one nation. The soap is already on DStv and now we have sealed a deal with ZTV, which means we are getting closer to achieving our goals. Kabanana should be out there competing with the best from Africa,” said Hwengwere.
The fusion of Zimbabwean and Zambian talent is not only confined to Kabanana. Savanna Pictures has bigger plans for the two countries. My Own Boss, the reality show which has had two successful runs in Zambia, will also feature Zimbabwean contestants.
Dubbed the Battle of the Falls (in reference to the sharing of the majestic Victoria Falls by Zimbabwe and Zambia) the reality show will feature eight contestants from Zimbabwe and a similar number from Zambia. The show lasts for 13 weeks.
“This show is almost like The Apprentice except that we are not training someone to be the best employee but to be his/her own boss. For 13 weeks, a mentor who has to be a successful businessperson will give the contestants tasks.
“African businesspeople have a reputation of not wanting to share or pass on information on how they made or make their money. We want to demystify that notion by selecting one businessperson to be the centre of activities in the show.
“Mentors change every year and so this time we are still weighing our options on who should be the centre of attraction together with the brilliant contestants from the two countries,” he said.
My Own Boss is a business reality show which is different from other reality shows in the sense that it actually empowers the youth as has happened previously.
Last year the show got a surprise boost from Zambia’s Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), which provided loans of up to US$100 000 for the finalists of the show to start their own businesses.
At the moment the organisers of the growing reality show are only offering US$20 000 as the winning prize — money expected to be used by the winner to build his/her own business.
“We want that somebody who wins the show to be totally empowered or should I say ready to start his/her business by the time the show reaches its climax. We hope that by bringing in Zimbabwe it is going to grow even bigger,” said Hwengwere.
My Own Boss has a minimum age limit of 20 and a maximum of 35, and it requires contestants that are fluent in English and one other national language.
Of the 16 contestants that will be selected from both countries, half will be female.
The auditions in Zambia are already at an advanced stage while local ones start this Thursday in Harare before moving to Mutare, then Gweru and Bulawayo.
Power FM boss Tinashe Chiname and Bernard Mulenga from Zambia will be conducting the auditions while producers of the show will be Hwengwere, ZBC’s Josephine Zulu and Paul Ignatius Gama.
According to Hwengwere, this year’s edition of the My Own Boss is centred on the World Cup soccer showcase to be held in neighbouring South Africa in June.
Hwengwere is a former ZBC chief executive officer who has vast experience in the media industry having worked as an advertising expert and also as a strategic planner.
He says be believes that people from all over the world want African content but it is not available, thus he has made it his goal to ensure that African programmes get to where they are supposed to get to.
Hwengwere says for the industry to grow there is need for Zimbabwean programmes to get back on the screen so that the industry can move forward: “We need our soaps back on screen. That is how the film industry can grow in this country. As producers we need to stop part-timing the cast. This industry is big business.
Savanna Pictures is a fully registered Zambian Company that has positioned itself as a regional content company with satellite offices in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
[Zimbabwe The Sunday Mail ]
Nizi awe chali kale kabanana mwe !:-?
Naifwe ati nizi as if nkatambako.All the best 2 the new actors i remember pakeni and kangwa as matongo and jason respectively in “those” days.All the best to the guys.:-?
Please get rid of the chap that plays Frank Kabanana, he is the most boring useless character in any TV show. the chap needs to be reading bemba news or something. OUUUUUUT!!!
Ka idea ka My Own Boss kali che…..but how does CEEC give prize money nkongole?It goes to show how hard it is to get Finance in this country.
Looking good Dainess,i like u alot u are such a good actress who is down to earth!lol