Malawian cousins in BBA show

The Big Brother Africa (BBA) reality TV show returned to the screen as Big Brother StarGame Sunday night with Lilongwe-based cousins Nafe and Wati Kulemeka unveiled as the pair representing Malawi.

The pair, which will have to brave other pairs drawn from 17 African countries to cart home $300 000 (about K50 million), were visibly in high spirits in an interview with IK, the presenter of the show.

“We are just going to be ourselves and play the game to win,” said Wati while waving the country’s flag to the audience.

Nafe, 22, works as an assistant administrator while Wati, 22, is an aspiring architect.

The two are representing a country which has failed to win in six previous shows. Despite that, Malawians have expressed hope, saying the StarGame is Malawi’s moment.

Said Code Sangala, who twice represented Malawi in previous shows: “Of course, it is too early to comment. Even worse, it is a new game with rules I hardly understand. But the pairing principle can give the couple a chance to sharpen their survival skills in the game.”

Another former BB contestant, Hazel Warren, who reached the finals in BBA 3, said the two should not reveal their game plan early to survive.

“They should begin on a low note to see what other pairs are doing,” she said.

Studded with 53 cameras and 120 microphones, the BBA StarGame has two houses, namely, Upville and Downville.

The Upville contains seven VIP housemates, most of them renowned artists, selected from various countries. Downville is the one which contains all the contestants.

Wati and Nafe have raised the number of Malawi’s participants in the show to eight. The previous ones are Zein Dudha, Sangala, Warren, Mzamose Chibambo, DJ Lomwe and Felicia Ng’oma.

The Big Brother reality show, which began in 2003, is the continent’s widely watched show that runs for 91 days.