Kenya shines at the 2023 AMVCAs with 17 nominations, including Best TV Series

Kenya has earned a record-breaking 17 nominations for the 2023 AMVCAs (Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards), as the nominees for the prestigious annual film and TV awards were announced on April 16. The AMVCAs, established as one of Africa’s most prestigious film and television awards, recognises outstanding achievement in the industry.

Kenyan Showmax Originals earned four nominations for the first time, while Maisha Magic titles, also available on Showmax, earned three nominations, and MultiChoice Talent Films on Showmax earned two nominations.

The Best TV Series category sees two Kenyan entries: Single Kiasi and County 49.

1. Single Kiasi, which follows the lives of three friends in Nairobi as they navigate marriage, relationships, and careers, concluded its second season recently and is available to binge-watch.
2. County 49, a political thriller series launched in August 2022, revolves around a new governor whose leadership is tested when she’s taken hostage by a group protesting corruption. It broke streaming records for the most first-day views on Showmax in Kenya when it premiered. The show has also earned a Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or TV Series nomination for James Webbo.

The Best Movie East Africa sees Baba Twins, the first Showmax Original movie in Kenya, competing with Click Click Bang and Married to Work. Other Kenyan nominees on Showmax include Njoro wa Uba for Best Original Comedy, Salem for Best Original Telenovela, Pete for Best Original Drama Series, and the Multichoice Talent Factory Films Cheza and Stinger for Best Multichoice Talent Film.

Apart from the Kenyan entries, Showmax Originals Crime and Justice Lagos, an adaptation of Kenya’s Crime and Justice, was nominated for Best TV Series, Best Cinematographer, Best Picture Editor, Best Lighting Designer, and Best Art Director. Nigerian psychological thriller Diiche received nominations for Best TV Series, Best Writer (Episode 5: Sodi Kurubo, Stephanie Dadet, and Victor Aghahowa), Best Picture Editor, Best Cinematographer, and Best Lighting Designer. The Real Housewives of Lagos earned nominations for Best TV Series, Best Cinematographer, Best Lighting Designer, and Best Costume Designer, while Nigerian drama Flawsome was nominated for Best TV Series and Best Actress in a Drama (Ini Dima-Okojie and Enado Odigie), Best Lighting Designer. Wura, the first Showmax Original telenovela in Nigeria, received a Best Actress in a Telenovela nomination for Scarlet Gomez.

Showmax has emerged as the streaming home for local series, with 7/9 of the Best TV Series nominees, 7/9 of the Best Telenovela nominees, 9/11 of the Best Drama Series nominees, and 7/10 of the Best Comedy Series nominees available on the platform.

Voting is now open, and you can find the full list of 2023 AMVCAs nominees here.