Actors Serah Ndanu, Kevin Samuel, Sheila Ndanu make TV comeback

Actress Serah Ndanu

Actress Serah Ndanu in a scene on 'Ibiza.' The new TV show will premier later this year on Showmax.

Popular actors Serah Ndanu, Blessing Lung’aho, Sheila Ndanu and Kevin Samuel are set to make a TV comeback, starring in a new political thriller series.

The show, “Igiza”, will premiere later this year on Showmax.

“Igiza” is a 13-part thriller series that follows twin sisters Linda and Nicole at war after a betrayal that changes their lives forever.

Years later, one of the sisters breaks out of prison and takes over the seemingly wonderful life of her identical twin, with disastrous consequences.

Kalasha Award-winning actress Serah Ndanu plays the double role of Linda and Nicole. Other cast members in the series include Blessing Lung’aho, Kevin Samuel, Emmanuel Mugo, Ainea Ojiambo, Sheila Ndanu and Torome Sision.

“Working on the Showmax Original ‘Igiza’ is truly an exciting opportunity. Filmmakers dream of the chance to tell a story that is uniquely captivating, full of rich characters and a world that feels real and ground,” said series director and producer Abdi Shuria.

“This series has given me the opportunity to work with some of the best talents in Kenya. We have an amazing cast ….”

“We set out to make a series that has relatable characters set in the underworld money laundering scene, aka the wash wash scene of Nairobi. The wash wash scene recently emerged and became more prominent and visible in Nairobi.

“It is a captivating world full of interesting stories that many Kenyan audiences might find familiar and relatable. The series is exciting, full of high-stakes moments and nail-biting tension that is sure to keep the audience coming back for more.”

Other local series to premiere on Showmax include crime drama series “Pepeta”, “County 49” and a Christmas feature film.

“Pepeta” will capture the intertwining stories of Junior, a 17-year-old talented footballer torn between the thrills of crime and the promises of soccer; Musa, an unforgiving cop with a personal vendetta, determined to rid the streets of criminals; and Biki, an ambitious football coach determined to get Junior and his friends scouted before the barrel of the gun cuts short their dreams.

“County 49” will capture the political intrigues of the fictional Bwatele County, Kenya’s 49th county and the nation’s breadbasket, whose citizens are suffering from the high cost of living and scarce resources, despite the county’s wealth in resources.

This move follows the successful premiere of Kenya’s first “Crime and Justice” show starring Sarah Hassan and is in its second season.

“We have worked with new production houses to expand our genre, offering to ensure that our viewers get to see the very best of Kenyan stories told in different facets of life, from thrillers to crime dramas to political thrillers,” said Timothy Okwaro, MultiChoice director for East and Southern Africa Channels.

“This slate speaks to our localisation strategy and the keen focus on working with local producers, both established and upcoming, to ensure we give our viewers what they want.”