Organisers of Maso Awards on Sunday maintained that they are transparent in their undertakings.
The development follows queries by some quarters as regards the absence of Jetu and Fadah Moti in the categories of Best Artist of the Year (Female) and Best Artist of the Year (Male), respectively.
Nominees’ names were unveiled at Stakeout, Amaryllis Hotel, in Blantyre on Friday night.
The unveiling of nominees in 43 categories kick-started Maso Awards’ journey to the grand finale to be held at Comesa Hall in Blantyre on December 28 2024.
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Artists such as Gwamba, who has also earned a nomination on Best Artist of the Year (Male), also queried the absence of Fadah Moti’s name in the category of Best Artist of the Year (Male), which, apart from Gwamba, has nominees such as Kell Kay, Driemo, Eli Njuchi, Praise Umali and Onesimus.
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The category of Best Artist of the Year (Female) has Emmie Deebo, Temwah, Lady Laika, Tuno, Theresa Phondo and Kellie Divine.
“Maso Awards, thanks for the 7/8 nominations. I appreciate you for recognising my work.
Zinazo bhobho, koma pa Best Male Artist po, bola nomination yangayo ikanapita kwa Fadah Moti. He deserves it more [than me],” the artist, popularly known as Landlord, said.
Fadah Moti and Jetu, who have been in the limelight, are nominees in the categories of Best Up and Coming Artist of the Year (Male) and Best Up and Coming Artist of the Year (Female).
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But Maso Awards Chief Executive Officer Augustine Mukisi said nominations are done through public voting and that they also involve industry experts before the final decision is made.
“We are credible in our dealings. Maso Awards is a brand and, so, we cannot stoop so low as to do that. We followed the due process in coming up with the nominees,” Mukisi said of the awards, which last year took place at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.
He said since inception of the awards, criticism has always been there.
“We are discussing it [the issue]. We are still in the early phases of voting; so, anything can happen,” Mukisi said.
Voting for the nominees has since opened and will close on December 20 2024.
During the unveiling of the nominees, spiced up by a performance from Chris Tommy, the category of Best Song has nominees such as ‘Trailer’ by Driemo, ‘Malele’ by Teddy Makadi, ‘Controller’ by Onesimus, ‘Chakwaza’ by Jetu, ‘Tempolale’ by Eli Njuchi, ‘Msatithawe’ by Fadah Moti, ‘ Bana Pwanya’ by Kell Kay featuring Zambia’s Yo Maps and ‘Mukadalitsa’ by Gwamba featuring Praise Umali.
The category of Lifetime Achiever Award has veteran singer and guitarist Boniface Ndamera of Lucky Stars Band, famed for the track ‘Chinafuna Mbale’.
The category of Best Fashion Designer has nominees such as Christian Entwan, Xandria, Rank45, Gift Walker, Kris Base and Maur Designs whereas in the category of Best Film, the nominees are School Days, Is the President Dead?, Misnomer and Khasu.
In Best Visual Artist, the nominees are Tee Mlinga, Madalitso Ziwaoh, Blessed Aya Arts, Ryan Arts, Chimwemwe Luwanda and Emmanuel Phale whereas Best Poet (vernacular) has Raphael Sitima, Robert Chiwamba, Mlakatuli Kenson, Nana Makhamadzi, Hudson Chamasowa and Francisco Yakobe whereas Best Poet (English) has nominees Refilwe Ntopwa, Marumbo Sichinga, Tchu Chisiza, Beatrice Ligomeka, Waliko Lipemba and Epickaizo Huwani.
The awards are running under the theme ‘Towards Exporting Arts for Socio-economic Growth and Development’.
