Podcasts, which are audio files that can be streamed or downloaded via laptops and mobile devices have started to take off in Zambia over the last few years. These podcasts cover various topics including gaming, history, comics, mental health, business, entertainment and more.
One of the latest Zambian podcasts that launched in January 2019 is Mwende Bwino. Mwende Bwino which translates to ‘Go Well’ in several Zambian languages (Bemba, Nsenga, Nyanja) is a new travel themed podcast created by travel writer Mazuba Kapambwe. Kapambwe has taken her experience writing for publications such as CNN Travel, The Culture Trip, Nkwazi, Unearth Women and from hosting travel- docu web-series The Fest Gurus to create the podcast.
“The inspiration from Mwende Bwino came after I began listening to the Conde Nast Traveler podcasts ‘Women Who Travel’ and Travelogue’. I started looking for travel podcasts by Africans talking about traveling as an African in Africa or outside the continent and I couldn’t find any, so I took it as a sign to create my own. There are unique challenges that face African travelers who hold African passports such as complicated visa processes, expensive intra- Africa flights, ill-marketed tourism ads etc and I wanted to address that through the podcast”.
The Mwende Bwino podcast aims to inspire Africans and people of African descent to explore their city, country, continent and beyond. Each episode (which is under an hour) features a guest who is in the travel industry from bloggers, photographers, wildlife conservationists, hoteliers and more. There are currently six episodes available for streaming or download on soundcloud, anchor and castbox, with plans to be on Itunes and other listening platforms.
Episodes related to Zambia include ‘These are the 19 Places You Have to Visit in Zambia in 2019’ which was sponsored by travel startup Discover Zambia. The episode featured popular locations such as Victoria Falls and Siavonga, but also spotlighted lesser known destinations like Mutinondo Wilderness and Lake Chila. The ‘Katundu Guide for the Traveler’ episode featured musician and actress Chembo Liandisha as a guest host and spotlighted Zambian owned or made in Zambia brands such as Tied by Nature skincare, Wayaya bags and more.
Other episodes include ‘How to Tick African Countries Off Your Bucket List’ which featured Kenyan adventure travel blogger Winnie Rioba and the latest episode ‘We Planned Your First Trip to Ethiopia’ featuring Greta Francesca Iori, a wildlife crime expert from Ethiopia.
In terms of what listeners can expect from future episodes, Mazuba says,“ there are many more exciting episodes planned for the first season of the Mwende Bwino podcast such as an episode on how African national airlines will change travel in 2019, an episode on the much talked about African Passport that the African Union has introduced, and I will be in Lusaka in June where I will be recording episodes for season 2 with Zambian travel bloggers, writers and others involved in the travel and hospitality industry in Zambia”.
Listen to all episodes of the Mwende Bwino Podcast on soundcloud via soundcloud.com/mwendebwinopodcast , or on Anchor via anchor.fm/mwendebwino . You can subscribe to the podcast on those platforms so that you know when episodes are released. Also follow @MwendeBwino on twitter for travel news and tips.
Well done.
God bless Zambia.
Here we go again, the Ethiopian picture is about seex.
I get so many seex podcast from PF WhatApp groups.
Nostradamus here you go again, why do you and Ndobo always have to try and make comedy of things that are forward mobile? The less Zambia has of people like you the better.
Well done indeed and God Bless Zambia
Keep going. Happy Women’s Day
Great stuff. Well done there is a niche there well identified. Will check it out.