Kenyan filmmaker Reuben Odanga is back with a new project, Mo-Faya, a seven-part Netflix series that delves into the complexities of Kenyan youth culture. The new project follows his Kiswahili telenovela Selina and his 2022 debut feature film Nafsi.
In an exclusive interview with OkayAfrica, Odanga shared the inspiration behind Mo-Faya, which tells the story of Zawadie, a young woman whose quest for a fresh start with her boyfriend, Brian, takes a perilous turn as secrets unravel and crime threatens to engulf their lives.
The series boasts a star-studded cast, including Lorna Lemi and Brahim Ouma, and features authentic Kenyan settings, including the University of Nairobi and Western Kenya.
“The original inspiration came during the COVID lockdown in Nairobi,” Odanga said. “I interacted with some police officers and realised that while citizens resented the policing of the lockdown, the officers themselves were struggling.”
Odanga’s vision for Mo-Faya was to create a show that would resonate with Kenyan youth, reflecting their realities rather than just their aspirations. To achieve this, he involved 15 film and theatre students from the University of Nairobi in the production, providing them with hands-on experience and compensation.
“Netflix gave me creative freedom, urging me to keep it local. I want Kenyans to watch this show and to see themselves,” Odanga emphasised. “I want them to say, ‘That looks like my dad,’ ‘That looks like my mom,’ or ‘I know this kind of scenario.’ That’s why we chose the University of Nairobi and wanted to ground it on realism. We also showcased Kenyan culture authentically, like scenes set in Western Kenya.”
The series’ title, Mo-Faya, translates to “more fire” or “more trouble” in Sheng and Odanga hopes that Mo-Faya will not only resonate with local audiences but also spark conversations about youth struggles and societal pressures on a global platform.
In the interview, Odanga says he is already working on several new projects, including a police-focused series and another involving a significant amount of music. “It’s about a band in Mombasa, and at the end of the production, we’ll have a movie and a 17-track album,” he told OkayAfrica.
