adminAuxilia Katongomara Saturday Leisure Correspondent
CONT Mhlanga’s much-awaited drama series, Nyaminyami, has all but died a natural death after the disbandment of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic). Its future is now uncertain as it failed to premiere over a year’s production time it had. The series, which was aimed at promoting unity among all Zimbabweans during the tenure of the inclusive government, had been in the pipeline since February last year.
The drama series was reported to have been funded to the tune of $50 000 by Jomic as part of its mandate to promote peace and unity in the country. However, it had not seen the light of the day until 31 July when the committee ceased to exist at the end of the inclusive government.
The drama series has been overtaken by events and so might have to be re-done or forgotten altogether.
The 13-episode series was reported to have been complete in June but nothing materialised for it to be distributed to the public. Nyaminyami attracted a number of veteran actors from the city and from the hype it created, it was expected to be a thriller.
The production of the series was dogged by a host of challenges and the death of one of the actors dealt a cruel blow as some scenes had to be re-shot.
In an interview with Saturday Leisure, Mhlanga acknowledged that indeed the series had been overtaken by events.
“We still have to re-organise,” he said.
“Probably we have to start from scratch and try to put it into context because it has been overtaken by events.
“However, it remains relevant but we need to edit it. The question is how we will re-do it. Very soon we will know how we will re-do it”.
There are reports that some actors have not received their allowances for the past episodes that have been shot.
The Nyaminyami series is named after a fictitious country that the drama is set in. The series explores political polarisation, intolerance, violence and their consequences.
A dark cloud hangs over Nyaminyami Business College after Bruno in his second year, guns down 12 of his fellow students.
The tension at home and in the society just after the incident makes him more violent.
Bruno falls in love with Tolerance and is protective of her, going as far as attacking anyone who hurts her. Tolerance is a beautiful college student in her early 20s. She grew up on a farm and hates violence, but her brother Theo is a violent political activist. She has ambitions of owning a hotel some day.
Mhlanga said greed, deception, corruption, inter and intra-party political violence are the order of the day as the Republic of Nyaminyami makes the long painful journey towards her greatness.
Online Reporter