The 2025 NAMA Awards: Urban music artists dominate a stellar cast of nominees

The nominees for the 23rd NAMA Awards were revealed by the National Arts Council & the Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation in a video announcement on Wednesday, 12 February via social media. The nominees announcement was presented by Charlene Mangweni Furusa, with the nominees revealed by multiple disciplinary artist Hope Masike, the chairperson of the NAMA adjudication committee. 


Set for the first of March at the Harare Hippodrone, this year's awards will be running the theme "Afrofuturism," a celebration of who we are and who we are becoming as Africans and as Zimbabweans.


This year's nominees feature works done between 1 Dec 2023  and 30 November 2024. The NAMA adjudication committee received a staggering 2371 entries this year, with a record breaking 600 submissions under the film category. Noted in the announcement was the impressive nature of works under theatre, with a wide range of plays being submitted. 


Omitted last year, the category of Outstanding Stand Up Comedian made a return, however it was noted that the advert driven nature of most skits under spoken word was undermining creativity and the quality felll short of standards. 


Master H

Public opinion, along with radio charts, social media and digital statistics carried a larger weight (compared to other categories) in deciding the nominees under music. This saw the domination of urban music on the airwaves, translating to a domination of NAMA nominees. The likes of Shashl, Nisha Ts, Young Gemini, Voltz JT, Kae Chaps, 216Whisky and Chillmaster, all earned nominations across various categories.


If there's said to be a glaring omission from the nominees this year, it would have to be Holy Ten. The artist once again had a phenomenal year (releasing 2 notable albums: Risky Life 2 & Proud Father) but surprisingly his name is missing from nominations and it was a similar story last year.


This year's NAMA Awards are supported by CBZ Holdings, Chicken Inn, ZiFM, Greygate, CultureFundZim & the European Union, InnBucks, Nash TV, ZLG, Blackshark, Wild Africa Travel and Rhi Media.


Here is the full list of nominees for the 2025 NAMA Awards:


DANCE AWARDS


Oustanding Female Dancer

Tanaka Machikicho in Into The Light

Ellain Ncube in Black Fever

Celine Madziva in Respect My Team


Oustanding Male Dancer

Ngonidzashe Mudyarwa in Ndichatarisa

Tichaona Chikara in Into The Light

Terrence Kapesa in Respect My Team


Oustanding Dance Group/Production 

Salt 'N Light for Into The Light

Khaya Arts Productions for UniAfrica

Afrikera Arts Trust for Ndichatarisa


Oustanding Choreographer 

Future Dube (Khaya Arts Productions)

Hillary Indir (Ellysium Magna)

Tichaona Chikara (Salt 'N Light)


VISUAL ARTS AWARDS 


Oustanding Male Visual Artist

Ishmael Maposa

Gareth Nyandoro

Moffat Takadiwa


Oustanding Female Visual Artist

Portia Zvavahera

Shamila Aasha

Sinqobile Shamiso Dube


Oustanding Upcoming Visual Artist 

Fungai Marima

Kundai Nathan

Nothando Chiwanga


Oustanding Exhibition 

Our Father's Inheritance Does Not Allow Us To Rest - Admire Mudzengerere curated by Fadzai Veronica Muchemwz

A Woman's Yoke - Sinqobile Shamiso Dube curated by Doris Kampira

6th Venice Biennale - Various Artists curated by Fadzai Veronica Muchemwa


SPOKEN WORD AWARDS


Oustanding Poet

Sithandazile Dube aka Um'Afrikazi

Kuda Rice

Mighty Mahembe aka General Fire Collosso


Outstanding Social Media Skits

Admire Mushambi aka Mama Vee

Panashe Gurende aka Moojaya

Bashimane Mothusi Ndlovu aka Sikhobokhobo Madlela


Outstanding Stand Up Comedian 

Nigel Tha Slick Pastor 

Mbongeni Ignatius Ndlovu

King Kandoro


THEATRE AWARDS 


Outstanding Actress 

Chidochangu Tenga as Molly in Molly Street

Caroline Mashingaidze Zimbizi as Tete Sabina in Family Riots

Munashe Goromonzi as girl's mother and a girl in The Aftermath 


Outstanding Actor 

Ronald Madodana Sigeca as Factual Gumunyu in Promise

Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi as Moris and multi characters in Haywire

Michael Kudakwashe as Sidney in Family Riots


Outstanding Theatrical Production

The Aftermath (Patsimedu Trust)

Promise (Savanna Trust)

Family Riots (Almasi Collaboration)


Outstanding Director

Ted Mangawa for Promise

Everson Ndlovu for Haywire

Nobert Makoche for Aftermath


Outstanding Playwright 

Leonard Matsa for Promise 

Peter Churu for Molly Street

Gideon J. Wabvuta for Family Riots


LITERARY AWARDS 


Outstanding First Published Work

Zagamo The War Within by Ray Mawerera, published by Royalty Books

Mafuta Enguruve by Trust Mutekwa, published by Carnelian Heart Publishing Limited 

A Father's Agony and Other Stories bu Takudzwa Chiwara, published by Royalty Books


Outstanding Children's Book

The Tale Of Jackal and Man by Joseph Matose

Chimbira Nedzimwe Ngano by Primrose Dzenga, published by Torch Bearers Trust Books

Cartoonist by Hleko Vuma, published by Essential Publishing Company 


Outstanding Fiction Book

The Full Moon Rises At Sunset by Susan Hubert, self published 

Weeping Tomato by Samantha Rumbidzai Vazhure, published by Carnelian Heart Publishing Limited 

Aziwelanga Phansi by Welshman Dube, published by Dawundethi Publishers


Outstanding Non-fiction Book

Engage Zimbabwe: A Cultural Intelligence Handbook For Effective Diplomacy Volume 1 - Shona Culture by Lovemore and Chido Kuwana, published by Kuwana Media and Consultants (Pvt) Ltd

Your Guide To Adulting by Rumbidzai Munyaradzi, self published 

Entrepreneurial Success: Insights on growing business in a fluid economy by Divine Simbi-Ndhlukula PhD, self published 


FILM & TV AWARDS


Outstanding Actress

Chesesile Mpofu as Tabitha Dube in Inkaba

Munashe Goromonzi as Tsitsi in the November Promise

Eunice Tava Chikoore as Mamoyo in Nhoroondo


Outstanding Actor

John Mabuyane as Tembani Dube in Inkaba

Tapiwa Mavindidze as Tawanda in Nhoroondo

Skanyiso Ngwenya as Rise in Rise


Outstanding Music Video

Masahwira by Enzo Ishall, directed by AJV Entertainment 

Nhemamusasa by Bagga, directed by Leoy V

Machina by MulaNation, directed by Taurai Zidya Dollar

Mvura by Bagga, directed by KMANE 


Outstanding Screen Production (Television)

Inkaba by John Mabuyane

The November Promise by Derby Beta

The DNA Show by Tinashe Mugabe


Outstanding Screen Production (Short Film)

Taxi by Jonathan Samukange

Dollar by Tawanda Vombo

Emuva - The Battle Of Emotions by Siphosetu Sibadze


Outstanding Screen Production (Full Length Film)

See Me by Charlene Mangweni-Furusa

Nhoroondo by Vusa Hlatswayo

Neria by Trust Sayi


MUSIC AWARDS


Outstanding Female Musician 

Shashl

Janet Manyowa

Tamy Moyo


Outstanding Male Musician 

Freeman HKD

Master H

SaintFloew 


Outstanding Breakthrough Musician

Nisha Ts

Young Gemini

Chillmaster


Outstanding Music Group

Joyful Praise

Shower Power

The Unveiled


Outstanding Song

Madiro by Kae Chaps

Kana Ndanyura by Killer T

Gore Rino by Tembalami ft The Unveiled 

Denga by Hwinza

Gore (Remix) by 216Whisky ft Various Artists


Outstanding Album

Me vs Me

N.O.P Makoni

Trap Yevafundisi 


SPECIAL AWARDS 


Promoter Of The Year

Nash TV

Event Hulks

Ngoma Nehosho


Outstanding Artist in the Diaspora 

Annatoria (Music)

Wina Musamati (Theatre)

Ernest Ndlovu (Film & TV)

Masimba Hwati (Visual Artist)


People's Choice Award

Voltz JT

Dorcas Moyo

Mai Kirifodhi 

Winky D

Master H


You can vote for the People's Choice Award here.


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