NAMA 2025 Nominees Announced: Zimbabwe’s Biggest Arts Awards Set for March 1
The National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA), Zimbabwe’s premier arts awards, have unveiled their list of nominees for the highly anticipated 2025 edition. The prestigious event is set to take place on March 1 at the Harare Hippodrome, promising a night of glitz, glamour, and celebration of artistic excellence.
This year’s ceremony will be hosted by television personality Nabeelah Jogee on the main stage, while Charlene Mangweni-Furusa will provide voice-over narration throughout the night.
The awards, organized by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), recognize outstanding achievements across various creative disciplines, including music, dance, visual arts, film, theatre, and literature. According to the NACZ, nominations were selected from works submitted between December 1, 2023, and November 30, 2024.
Fierce Competition Across Categories
Leading the pack in the music category is Master H (Hillary Marufu), who has secured two nominations: Outstanding Male Musician and People’s Choice Award. Other notable names in the music section include Freeman HKD, Saintfloew, Killer T, and Tamy Moyo.
The visual arts category also promises tough competition, with established artists such as Moffat Takadiwa, Gareth Nyandoro, and Portia Zvavahera making the list. Meanwhile, the Outstanding Exhibition category features groundbreaking curations like Our Father’s Inheritance Does Not Allow Us to Rest by Admire Kamudzengerere and A Woman’s Yoke by Sinqobile Shamiso Dube.
The dance category highlights some of Zimbabwe’s top talents, including Tanaka Machikicho, Alvin Ngonie, and Ellain Ncube, while the spoken word category recognizes rising stars in social media skits and stand-up comedy, such as Mama Vee, Nigel Slick Pastor, and King Kandoro.
In the film and television category, actors and actresses from productions such as Inkaba, The November Promise, and Nhoroondo have been nominated for their stellar performances.
Special Awards and Diaspora Recognition
Apart from competitive categories, NAMA 2025 will also recognize special contributors to Zimbabwe’s arts scene. The Promoter of the Year nominees include Nash TV, Event Hulks, and Ngoma Nehosho, while the Outstanding Artist in the Diaspora category features international stars like Annatoria Blessing Chitapa (UK), Wiina Musamati (UK), and Ernest Ndlovu (South Africa).
A Record-Breaking Year for NAMA
According to the NACZ, the 23rd edition of NAMA received an impressive 2,371 entries, including 814 physical submissions, 1,073 online submissions, and 484 monitored entries. The adjudication process began on December 1, 2024, ensuring a rigorous and fair selection of nominees.
With just weeks to go until the grand event, anticipation is building for who will walk away with the top honors in Zimbabwean arts and culture. The awards night promises to be a spectacular celebration of creativity, featuring some of the country’s biggest stars and emerging talents.
Who will take home the top awards? All eyes are now on March 1 at the Harare Hippodrome!
