MultiChoice Tanzania is strengthening its investment in locally produced television drama by launching Karata, a new 130-episode Swahili telenovela commissioned for its Maisha Magic Bongo channel.
Produced by Tanzanian production company Big One Entertainment, the series airs on DStv channel 160, with three episodes scheduled weekly from Monday to Wednesday. The production is available to subscribers on the DStv Starter package.
Through the notable Simba family, the author explores succession struggles, business rivalry, betrayal, and romantic relationships.
Renowned film director Aziz Mohamed Ahmed produced the series, with both actors and crew drawn from local talent. According to MultiChoice Tanzania Chief Executive Officer Sophie Tchatchoua, the series is a flagship drama that was entirely produced in Tanzania.
Karata joins Maisha Magic Bongo's existing drama line-up, which includes Huba, Jua Kali and Mpali. Its commissioning further demonstrates MultiChoice's strategy of prioritising locally produced, high-volume Swahili content to strengthen audience engagement and subscriber retention across East Africa.
For producers in the region, an order for 130 episodes is a big deal. Long-running telenovelas provide job security, and in turn, production houses gain the credit needed when pitching to other buyers. The title's presence on the lower-end package also ensures that the drama's target market is the full range of DStv subscribers in Tanzania, rather than a premium market
