Recognize women, Mulenga Kapwepwe prods NAMA

Multichoice Zambia Public Relations Manager Mwiika Malindima, Marketing Manager Ndela Sichizya and NAC Chairperson Ms. Mulenga Kapwepwe
By Ashton Kelly Bunda
NATIONAL Arts Council of Zambia (NAC) Chairperson Mulenga Kapwepwe is appealing to the April 1st 2017 Zambia Film and Television Awards (ZAFTA), conveners-the National Association of Media Arts (NAMA) to recognize women in the arts by naming an award after a living legend.
In a passionate heart-breaking plea, Ms. Kapwepwe dressed in a neat flowery green dress earnestly sought recognition in a voice and tone depicting humility on behalf of her female folk in March, a month in which globally-Women’s Day is commemorated on March 8th.
Flanked by her deputy Bright Phiri, National Association of Media Arts (NAMA) President Patrick Salubusa, Multichoice Zambia Public Relations Manager Mwiika Malindima and Marketing manager Ndela Sichizya at the launch of Multichoice Zambia ZAFTAS awards at Lusaka’s Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel, Ms. Kapwepwe catalogued inspirational women worth honoring.
“Are you going to wait until we die before introducing an award after us? I want to ask organizers to heed our plea,” a tart Kapwepwe petitioned.
This paradigm shift counsel was followed by a challenge from Zambia Media Alliance (ZADEMA) Executive Member Derrick Sinjela, a renowned journalist and from the Rainbow Newspaper Zambia Limited, prod, urging Zambians to cultivate a culture of recognizing people who have contributed in society while they are still living citing the case of the former First Republican President Dr. Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda, having a national airport –Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) named after him.
Kapwepwe impressed it on the film industry to think beyond the boarders as they produce stories told in Zambia.
“I am on my knees in my heart right now as I speak, appealing to NAMA and Multichoice Zambia now roped in the Zambezi entertainment channel to remember women for artistic effort made thus far. We are hoping and waiting for a special female special category of a living legend,” Ms. Kapwepwe earnestly begged.
Kapwepwe described the ZAFTAS sponsorship by MultiChoice Zambia as a blessing injecting new energy in the local film industry.
“This is a blessing injecting new energy that will awaken the sleeping giants in the Zambian arts, “an appreciative Kapwepwe said.
Acknowledging that the Zambian Parliament, through Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Patrick Matibini and his Clerk Doris Mwiinga are privy to film industry proceedings, the enthusiastic Kapwepwe said that Multichoice and NAMA earned support from government through hard work, thus urging partners to jealously guard the prestigious ZAFTAS.
“Zambian artistes must take advantage of the miraculous but gradual growth as the television industry is continuously craving for more content. We shall soon travel to Nigeria to learn and discuss how Nollyhood has built its distribution channels.
And NAMA president Patrick Sulubusa said that ZAFTA started small and humble and is proud of the local artistic brand.