Frank Nchimunya Sibuuku’s Mpali dream cheers IBA’s Victoria Sombo Mupwaya
Frank Nchimunya Sibuuku’s Mpali dream cheers IBA’s Victoria Sombo Mupwaya and MultiChoice Zambia Limited Managing Director Leah Kooma (with yellow microphone). Picture by Rainbow Television Zambia
Derrick Sinjela and Simon Banda
Despite his iconic exploits, Frank Nchimunya Sibuuku, credited as the brain’s nurturing Mpali, Zambia’s household Pay Television soap, this budding cinemagrapher keeps a low profile.
As alluded to by a close confidante, none other than Eric Kasomo Junior, Sibuuku or Frank as peers on the set refer to him, is equally a gifted painter.
Mr. Nguzu, the plantation guru is currently incarcerated and one may deduce that perhaps the Mpali crew is always filming at Chimbokaila Prison, now christened as Lusaka Central Correctional Facility (LCCF), ….alas…zero…this movie painter and team have conceived two makeshift cells within the A-List Media run and controlled movie making grounds in Lusaka.
As we alighted from a MultiChoice Zambia Limited vehicle chauffeured (driven) Daniel Tonga, Mwakwa Mumba, Simon Banda, Times Media Chief Executive Officer Sam Phiri and I, Derrick Sinjela, casually responded to a greeting gesture only to find out as we dashed to the main house that it was a felicitation from (FNS) Frank Nchimunya Sibuuku.
This reality being unearted by Chilufya Mumba, the MultiChoice Zambia Limited Head of Corporate Affairs, as FNS was asked to brief an awed Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) entourage led by Vice Chairperson Victoria Sombo-Mupwaya, Acting Director General (ADG) Eustace Nkandu and Standards & Consumer Affairs Officer, Ms. Katendi Wandi.
After witnessing shooting of a scene in which the quarrel some Nguzu wives prepared to visit the incarcerated polygamist; a fighter ensued as (Cosmas Ng’andwe) Logic’s sister, Shupiwe (Monde Daka) is treatened to be killed (knifed), by Tombi (Lissy Yambayamba), only to be restrained by Mwiza (Anita Munamonga), Sombo-Mupwaya extoled Sibuuku and team as trail braziers.
Wanga Zulu (Mai Gulu) with Katendi Wandi and Shupiwe on Tuesday 17 October, 2023. Picture by Rainbow Television Zambia Limited
Birthing new crop of entrepreneurs eager to contribute to local content production and job creation ideals is a storyline MultiChoice Zambia Limited Managing Director Leah Kooma took when thanking the IBA team for visiting the Nguzu household.
Ms. Kooma’s words had earlier been vouched for when Kasomo Jr. explained that furniture is supplied to the Mpali crew by local carpenters and special occasion clothes woven by Faith Mulenga Kabende, Faith, specialising in Afrocentric, Western and tailor-made clothing, who established Fay Designs in 2003, and supplies clothing stores in South Africa, Zambia, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Switzerland and Germany.
“I believe only a dreamer
can concieve and establish Mpali team with a crew exceeding 120 diverse talent. You have to be a damn good storyteller to last six (6) and to plot season seven as many run out of ideas after a season, just even two (2) are something,” enthused a thrilled Ms. Sombo-Mupwaya, who later led the IBA team into a photographic session with Nguzu’s wives and the graceful soft-spoken Amai Gulu taking centrestage.
Both Sibuuku and Kasomo Jr., Mpali want Government to establish acting schools, for actors, actresses, camera personnel and many more to upgrade academic papers, earning certificate, diploma, degree and masters in the film art.
Mutale Monde (Nguzu), Hellena Kaumba, Lissy Yambayamba, Vanessa Tolino, Joel Swax Sakala (Jairos), Hicks Yamba (Frank) and Wanga Zulu as Mai Gulu (Senior Wife) feature on this daily feature drama.
After a hiatus, Mpali Season 6 premiered on Friday, 10 March 2023 at 20:30 and is showing on Zambezi Magic DStv Channel 162 and GOtv Supa Channel 5.
As the IBA team departed, multifaceted storyteller, Paulinah Somo, a South African Television and Radio producer, host credited to have hosted a Breakfast with Doreen Mukanzo on Frank Mutubila’s Capital 99.7 FM Radio, was exuberant discerning bright future.
“I moved to Zambia and joined the Mpali crew in 2019, and I bet through a resilient optimism, we soldier and look ahead as A-List Media prospers,” said a content Somo.
“We are in season six and almost done. We are proud, we have done more than a thousand episodes. This is all because of teamwork. We have an incredible team in production, crew and cast. That is how it all happens. It is not a one person job. The team comes together and that is how the Mpali magic occurs. I have worked in South Africa, on other productions. I came to Zambia in 2019, that is when I came and joined Mpali. I have worked on a number of productions, including Big Brother Africa (BBA). Here I am specifically working on Mpali,” attested Somo.
Asked for her view on polygamy, Somo responded with an open mind.
“As a film maker, you really have yo be open minded. It cannot just be about you! It’s got to be a story that is a reality to our audience, so they can relate. That is how we tell a story. If you personalise it too much, you end up limiting a story. I probably would never be involved in a polygamous situation, but I love to tell real stories that are relatable to a lot of people,” explained Somo.
Paulinah Somo with Simon Banda. Picture by Rainbow Television Zambia Limited
