Rebecca Chisamba – The Top Female TV Talk show host
By Tapfuma Machakaire 3/1/2023
The performance, popularity and wealth of Rebecca Chisamba, host of the popular Mai Chisamba show on Zimbabwe television ZTV, cannot be matched to that of her American counterpart Oprah Gail Winfrey of the internationally acclaimed Oprah Winfrey Show, but Mai Chisamba is a brand with a lasting impression on her viewers.
Through her company Chisamba Productions established in 2007, she is among the first independent producers to secure a contract to supply pre-recorded programmes to the national broadcaster under a policy to increase local content on the station.
Her show is ranked among programmes with the highest number of viewers on ZTV.
Oprah Winfrey who is two years younger than Chisamba called it quits in 2011 after providing 25 years of service on television, while Chisamba now 70 has pledged to soldier on as long as she is physically able to present.
Chisamba who presents her shows in her mother language Shona has gained respect for her command of the language and her diplomacy in moderating on a wide variety of subjects. “I am an ambassador of local languages and I want to show the world that we can do anything in our languages. I feel proud of local artistes who now create and promote content in our languages.”
She will never utter discouraging statements to her contributing audience even if their responses may be well off the mark, but will instead applaud every comment by saying vaomberereyi maoko mafungire awo (clap hands for him or her that’s his or her opinion). Chisamba also has a novel way of ending each segment of her programme in which she says, Chiringazuva chapisa chikakwata, regai tinomwira mvura, which simply means we have run out of time, we now take a commercial break.
Chisamba must have adopted such an approach to accommodate all classes in her audience on subjects that bring together academics, professionals and the rank and file. She aptly deals with topics that cover health, education, upbringing of children, traditional and spiritual issues, sexual relationships and any topical issue that may arise.
Her approach has made her stand out as a media practitioner who adheres to journalism ethics and professionalism by ensuring that she gets facts, views and contributions from across the board. She makes sure that all her programmes have officials from relevant government departments and experts to provide the official version of the scenario at hand.
Her probing audience sometimes shoot under the belt, but Chisamba has always proved to be a capable pilot in all her talk shows. “I always watch my shows and fail to understand where I get some of the things I say or responses I give during the shoot,” she told The Sunday Mail in an interview.
Government and quasi government organisations have found Mai Chisamba’s shows as the ideal platform for creating awareness on issues that include road safety, environmental conservation, gender based violence and child abuse, drug abuse among others. “Every week is a new project because society evolves, new issues emerge and we need to address them, thus we are constantly researching and consulting widely. Society, particularly families, remain the core focus,” she said.
Chisamba says she always watches her shows which are broadcast on Sunday evenings and she sometimes fails to understand where she gets some of the things she says as she moderates the debates. “It can only be the work of God. Looking back at how the journey started, I see God had all this figured out, though I initially had no confidence in myself,” she said.
Mai Chisamba also runs a column in one of the leading newspapers where she provides a similar service with readers writing in, seeking advice on a variety of issues.
The person behind the popular Mai Chisamba show is Rebecca Tsirikirayi born on 21 October 1952 in Bindura district Mashonaland Central province of Zimbabwe. She went to Bindura Salvation Army Primary School before moving to Usher Girls High in Matabeleland South province.
She trained as a teacher at Howard Institute. She worked as a teacher in Mhondoro district before she was encouraged by her school head Douglas Sanyahungwe to join the schools radio lessons programme run by the Government. Her performance impressed the management at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation which resulted in her being invited for auditions and securing a job as a broadcaster.
She presented the Mai Chisamba show as a ZBC employee until 2007 when she established Chisamba Productions after being weaned off by the national broadcaster.
In her personal capacity Mai Chisamba has been critical of what she views as unethical conduct by other media practitioners and of unbecoming social media statements.
In March 2016 she was quoted in the Standard newspaper appealing to the public to stop the barrage of attacks on popular Gospel singer Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave. This was after social media had been awash with comments on Mashavave’s “indecent” dressing and association with dancehall musicians. Mashavave had hogged the limelight with the high-riding track Vanondibatirana, which features Zimdancehall sensation Killer T.
Chisamba said, “If the vilification continues, it will affect her children, husband and family because in the process of attacking her, people will be fighting her family.”
She however warned that Mashavave needed “to be careful, dress decently and wear something that does not attract negative attention.”
In September 2021 Mai Chisamba added her voice among those who condemned broadcasting of DNA test results on radio. She said DNA test results were not for public consumption.
“We should consider the psychological factors that can affect the child after he or she discovers that there is no biological relationship with the alleged father. We are destroying the child, forgetting that they should face the public after they are exposed on social media.” she said.
The comments were in response to a debate over a weekly radio programme The Closure DNA Show, which had gained popularity for exposing infidelity among couples.
She said “although infidelity is bad and destroying families, DNA tests should be done in private to protect the image of the family.”
In 2018 in appreciation of her efforts in promoting domestic tourism in Zimbabwe through her programmes, Chisamba was appointed domestic tourism ambassador by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
Chisamba has recorded some of her shows in the United Kingdom and Australia enabling Zimbabweans in the diaspora to discuss issues of concern on television programmes that were aired back home.
Some of the topics discussed include, How to raise children in the diaspora while maintaining our traditional values, Supporting families back home and how to do it with stressing yourself, Role change in the diaspora, women earning more than men and Depression and suicide in the diaspora.
Chisamba is also a philanthropist who has constantly supported Maunganidze Children’s home in Chitungwiza among other institutions.
Rebecca is married to Arnold Chisamba and the couple has 5 children and several grandchildren. One of their daughters, Gamuchirai works for Chisamba Productions as a Graphic Designer.
Chisamba has won various national awards, including Communicator of the Year, Best Television Woman Presenter and Outstanding Woman of Mass media for Gender Equality
She is on the list of most influential women in the country.
“ I love what I do and would be happy for it to be even more vibrant after my departure,” said the 70 year old queen of the airwaves as many wonder, for how long will she be able to continue to grace the small screen with her educational soul searching programmes.
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