From our correspondent in Nairobi,
“Thieves, land expropriators.” From the first episode of Country Queen, the tone is set. An individual interrupts an event organized by the mining company, accusing the company of land theft. A few minutes earlier, the audience discovered a love triangle. The audience quickly understands: Country Queen mixes drama and politics.
“Telenovelas are very popular in Kenya,” explains Vincent Mbaya, the director of the series. “The idea was to attract the audience using soap elements and then bring up deeper issues. One of the first things that the viewer discovers is the love triangle, which captivates them, and then, as the episodes progress, the series addresses more serious subjects. That was the intended objective: to touch on various themes to encourage the audience to think.“
The six episodes cover multiple themes: conflicts over land, hopes for a better life in the capital city, the role of women in society, corruption, and above all, the exploitation of the poor by large companies. In one scene, a retired teacher tries to explain Karl Marx’s theories to street youth. “Capitalism exploits the poor for the benefit of the rich,” denounces the teacher, before defining the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. “What can we do?” one of the youth wonders. “Nothing,” another responds. “If you try to do something, the police will beat you.“
The dialogues alternate between English, Swahili, and Kamba, one of Kenya’s many languages. Because even though the series is broadcasted on an international platform, it was designed for a Kenyan audience. “We traveled to several regions with my team and asked the residents what they wanted to watch,” explains Kamau wa Ndung’u, the producer. “They told us, ‘We want more stories from the country.’ Because most television productions are in urban areas, everything is very glamorous with big cars, big houses… Kenyans want series they can identify with. And the feedback has been really positive!”
On social media, fans are getting impatient: when will they be able to watch season 2? The storyline is already there, but we need to find the budget, explains Kamau wa Ndung’u.
► Country Queen is available on Netflix in Kenya and on Arte in France (French title: Pour l’or de Tsilanga).
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