Malaika Tenshi Nnyanzi professionally known by her mononym as Malaika is a Ugandan actress, media personality, model and fashionista. She is mostly known for her radio work on the D’Mighty Breakfast show on KFM and Malaika and Oulanya on Capital Fm as well as her acting work on Veronica's Wish, Bed of Thorns, The Honourables and Mela.[1][2]

Malaika
Born (1989-12-15) 15 December 1989 (age 34)
Occupation(s)Actress, media personality
Career
ShowMalaika and Oulanya
Station91.3 Capital FM
Time slot3pm - 6pm Mon-Fri
StyleNews, weather, entertainment, gossip
CountryUganda
Previous shows
  • D'Mighty Breakfast on KFM (2017-2019)
  • Urban Today and Fashionista on Urban TV (2014-2016)
Other namesMalaika Tenshi Nnyanzi
Alma materGayaza High School, Makerere College School, United States International University Africa
Years active2014–present
Employer(s)Capital Radio (Since 2019)
KFM (2017-2019)
Urban TV (2014-2016)

Career

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Modeling and fashion

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Malaika started her modeling career in Nairobi, Kenya. She also ran a model management company with a male partner and showcased their work at a number of events including the Swahili Fashion Week. She left Nairobi and moved to Uganda where she continued her modeling career alongside emceeing corporate and entertainment events.[3] She is a brand ambassador for Sweet Lips wine.[4][5][6][7]

Radio and television

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On her return to Uganda from Kenya, Malaika joined Vision Group's Urban Television as a cohost with Gaetano Kagwa on a morning breakfast show called Urban Today. She later left Urban Today and hosted Fashionista before she left Urban Television altogether in November 2016.[8][9] She also joined South African entertainment channel Rockstar Group as the new face of a television show called SHOOOOSH![10][11] Malaika started her radio career at KFM in Kampala in April 2017. She co-hosted a morning breakfast show, D’Mighty Breakfast show with Brian Mulondo.[12][13] In 2019, she left KFM and joined Capital Fm and started hosting Malaika and Oulanya with Oulanya Columbus replacing Gaetano and Lucky in their Overdrive slot.[14][15][16]

Acting

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Malaika debuted her acting career on Nisha Kalema's 2018 drama film Veronica's Wish playing a supporting role as Bankia. She received two nominations for the role in the Best Supporting Actress category at the 2018 Uganda Film Festival Awards and ZAFAA Global Awards in 2019. She was then cast in the lead role as Stella in a 2019 Eleanor Nabwiso directed film Bed of Thorns. For this role, Malaika was nominated and won the Best Actress Award at the 2019 Uganda Film Festival Awards.[17] She was also cast in a lead role as Mela Katende in Nana Kagga's family drama series Mela and joined The Honourables in 2019 as a main cast member.

Personal life

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Malaika was born Malaika Nnyanzi to Ugandan parents in Nairobi Kenya, where her father, a former Ugandan army man had been exiled. Her family moved back to Uganda and settled in Kampala. She went to school at Safari Kindergarten, Kampala Parents School, Gayaza High School and [[Makerere College School

|Makerere College]] before returning to Kenya where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in International Business at the United States International University Africa in Nairobi.[18] In 2018, during an interview with Crystal Newman on her show Crystal 1 On 1, Malaika came out as epileptic and as a victim of rape by her work partner due to epilepsy, something she had kept private for over ten years and caused her depression.[19][20]

References

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  1. ^ "Malaika Tenshi's Best Instagram Looks before Veronica's Movie Premier". Life Style Uganda. 4 November 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Malaika Nnyanzi on Her Beauty Rules and Why Her Mum is Her Beauty Icon". Satisfashion. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Malaika Nyanzi to sponsor fan for makeup master class". Big Eye. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  4. ^ JL, Mercedes. "THE TRUTH: Reason Why Malaika Nyanzi Abandoned Urban TV". Enews Uganda. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  5. ^ Josh, Ruby. "Malaika Tenshi Nnyanzi a Fashion Bomb During This Pandemic". Mbu. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  6. ^ "MALAIKA NNYANZI WEARS SIX DRESSES AT UGANDA ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS 2017". Doberre. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Style Mania! Meet the fashion foward [sic] Malaika Nnyanzi". Campus Bee. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Reason Why Malaika Nnyanzi Resigned From Urban TV". Chano8. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  9. ^ Kushaba, Dancun. "Malaika thanks Urban TV". New Vision. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  10. ^ Mbaga, Jeff. "Malaika Nnyanzi to be face of SHOOOOSH!". The Observer. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  11. ^ "UGANDA'S MALAIKA NNYANZI LANDS HERSELF A JOB ON ROCKSTAR 4000 TELEVISION, SHINES AT THE NAMIBIA ANNUAL MUSIC AWARDS 2017". Digital Drimz Africa. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  12. ^ Alinda, Alex. "Malaika Nnyanzi Brian Mulondo Join KFM". The Tower Post. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Malaika Nnyanzi, Brian Mulondo take over KFM morning show". Sqoop. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  14. ^ Isaac. "KFM's Malaika Nnyanzi Set To Join Capital FM". Chano8. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  15. ^ Josh, Ruby. "Malaika kicks off her stint at new home with the legendary Oulanya". Mbu. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  16. ^ "Malaika Nyanzi". Capital Radio. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  17. ^ Yasmin, Nila. "Malaika Nnyanzi Excited by First Nomination as Actress". Chimp Reports. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  18. ^ Nantaba, Agnes (28 February 2018). "Malaika Nnyanzi on lessons from her mother". The Independent. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  19. ^ "I LOST EVERYTHING I HAD IN KENYA. MALAIKA ON CRYSTAL 1 ON 1 [ OCTOBER 20TH 2018 ]". Youtube. Crystal Newman. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  20. ^ "Malaika Tenshi Opens Up About Her Battle With Depression". Crystal Newman. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
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