Mbulelo Mpofu [email protected]
THE Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAA) has clarified its voting and adjudication procedures for its ninth edition, announcing that members of the public will only vote for the People’s Choice Award, while winners in individual categories will be determined by an adjudication panel.
The clarification follows the release of the 2026 nominees list, with organisers seeking to explain how contenders will be assessed ahead of the November 28 ceremony.
In a statement, the organisers said the ninth edition would retain the criteria used in the previous year, ruling out public voting in individual categories.
“The 9th edition of the BAA will follow the same criteria as the last edition. There will be no voting for individual awards. Everyone is eligible for the People’s Choice Award, which will be voted for on our website,” read part of the statement.
Voting for the People’s Choice Award will open on Wednesday, November 11 and close on Monday, November 23, through the awards’ official website, www.byoartsawards.com.
At the end of the online voting process, the 10 highest-ranked contenders will be announced and advance to the final stage.
However, the ultimate winner will be determined through a ballot cast by audiences attending the awards ceremony on November 28.
“The final winner will be voted for by ballot by the audience on the night of the awards, 28 November 2026, at the venue. Attendees stand a chance to win prizes from our sponsors,” the organisers said.
The distinction between adjudicated categories and the People’s Choice Award separates professional recognition from public popularity, giving the adjudication process room to determine artistic merit while allowing audiences to reward their favourite personality.
Open to nominees across all genres, the People’s Choice Award is expected to bring together artistes from different creative disciplines in a contest for public support. Organisers said the grand prize would be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, the nominees list reflects the breadth of Bulawayo’s creative sector, with contenders drawn from music, theatre, literature, dance, fashion, broadcasting, film and digital content creation.
In the music categories, the Outstanding Male Artiste of the Year race features Mzoe 7, Bhila, Vele Vele, Godolude and Fab G Mshanakagogo. Miss Dramatic, Um’Africakazi, Vuyo Brown, Mandie Mae and Black Diva are nominated for Outstanding Female Artiste of the Year.
Other music categories cover gospel, maskandi, alternative music, hip-hop, kwaito/house/Amapiano, imbube/acapella and tshibilika/rhumba, reflecting the diversity of sounds shaping the city’s musical identity.
The Outstanding Song of the Year category features Godolude and Friendly Brothers’ Isibindi SeLiquor (Bhambadzi), Fab G Mshanakagogo’s Imali Yesigwenja, Vele Vele featuring Master KG and Spirit Zw’s Ayi Dume, Nite Freak, Choujaa and Maline Aura’s Isinkwa, as well as Black Diva and Skhosana’s December.
Beyond music, the awards recognise the city’s literary community through separate categories for Ndebele literary work, English literary work and poetry. Theatre and film practitioners are also represented.
The Outstanding Arts Journalist category features Trevor Mawaka of Earground TV, Mbulelo Mpofu of Zimpapers, Angela Sibanda of DAB Three Events and Margaret Lubinda of NewsDay.
Digital content creators, online media practitioners and radio personalities have also earned nominations, highlighting the growing influence of digital platforms and broadcasting in the creative sector.
In the Outstanding Newcomer of the Year category, nominees include content creators Netty Nkanyezi and Yung Steezy, alongside musicians King Adiza, Xantel and Macala Macala.
The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced on the night, adding another element of anticipation to the ceremony.
Organisers also said auxiliary events would be announced as and when they are confirmed, suggesting that activities surrounding the awards could extend beyond the main ceremony.
With online voting opening on November 11, attention now turns to public participation in the People’s Choice Award, while the adjudication process will determine winners in the individual categories.
The ninth edition of the BAA is scheduled for November 28. Works released or undertaken between August 8, 2025 and September 21, 2026 qualified for consideration.
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