The 24th National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) nominees list, released on Thursday night, has once again set social media ablaze.
While these awards remain Zimbabwe’s highest recognition for creative excellence, the 2026 list feels like a volatile cocktail of deserved recognition, head-scratching anomalies, and “how on earth” moments.
The Outstanding Music Video category is a heavy hitter, featuring Kuno by Jah Prayzah (directed by Blaqs), Fake Love by Winky D (directed by Jusa Dementor) and Nguva Ndeya Mwari by Dorcas Moyo.
The real controversy lies in pitting Fake Love — a video largely generated via artificial intelligence — against natural, physical productions like Kuno and Nguva Ndeya Mwari.
In a country that has yet to formalise an AI policy for the arts, this raises a massive question: How do we judge the creativity, sweat and financial investment of a physical production against the prompt-based generation of a computer?
If Nama wanted a “Gafa versus Wagwizi” showdown, Siya by Winky D would have been the fairer contender. It dominated the Power FM charts and YouTube views without the “synthetic” asterisk attached to it.
The inclusion of Ritz in the People’s Choice Award has left many stunned.
While Ritz is a recognisable social media character, seeing her name alongside absolute juggernauts like Winky D, Jah Prayzah, and Comic Elder feels like a glitch in the matrix.
Popularity is one thing, but the cultural impact required to sit at this particular table seems to have been bypassed. Honestly, how did we arrive at a place where Ritz is mentioned in the same breath as Winky D and Jah Prayzah?
Perhaps the loudest silence on the list is the omission of Donator Calvins. His hit Door Ratovharwa (Mjolo) didn’t just trend; it became a national anthem, raking in over eight million views in just 10 months.
Despite winning Best Video on the ZBC TV Top 100, Nama seemingly ignored his massive digital footprint. Some argue his lack of a solid follow-up body of work might have hurt him, but for a “Breakthrough” category, shouldn’t that initial explosion be enough?
In a significant turn of events, the Media Category has moved to a Special Award format rather than a nominated category.
For years, Plot Mhako has been the “nearly-man” of this category, but his work this year has been undeniable.
By exposing the lack of transparency at Zimura, Mhako evolved from a journalist into a guardian of artists’ livelihoods. Whether he is named Journalist of the Year or EarGround is named Outstanding Media House, Nama should finally reward his relentless work.
The Podcast Category raised eyebrows with the nomination of Pass and Move. It begs the question: How does a football podcast find its way into an arts award? While its production and consistency are okay, its inclusion blurs the lines between sports journalism and digital arts.
The only “artistic” link here is the hosts themselves — Archie Hadebe, a spokesperson for Dab Three Events Band and Junior Garnet, a well-known musician and promoter. However, having “artsy” hosts doesn't necessarily make a sports show an arts production.
While taking nothing away from nominees like Ngoma NeHosho, Kadoma Odyssey, and Fiesta Fiesta, the omissions of Chipaz Promotions and Doek and Slay are glaring.
Chipaz arguably “owned” the landscape by managing the year’s two biggest stars Winky D and Jah Prayzah and capping it off with the legendary “One Big Party” face-off on December 31.
Doek and Slay became a phenomenon, creating a movement and record-breaking crowds that redefined the Zimbabwean social calendar. Both deserved a seat at the table with Kadoma Odyssey.