Drama brews as Sanaipei Tande quits lead role in TV series ‘Kina’
Kenyan actress and musician Sanaipei Tande has left her role in the Showmax series Kina. Sanaipei, who plays Nana Tandala, is the lead actress in the series.
Her exit from the popular series has been confirmed by Maisha Magic Plus, who in a statement thanked Sanaipei for her time on the show.
“On behalf of the Maisha Magic Plus Team, we would like to thank Sanaipei for her sterling performance on the Nana character. We equally wish her all the best for her future endeavors,” said Margaret Mathore, Maisha Magic Plus Channel Head.
Reports of Sanaipei’s imminent exit from the show were also shared by a Twitter user by the name Msupa M. (@Mollage_) who said Sanaipei will be replaced by another actress from February 17, 2023.
“Mbeki Mwalimu to replace Sanaipei Tande on the role of Nana Tandala on Kina from the February 17th,” Msupa tweeted.
However, Sanaipei was non-committal when Nairobi News sought to establish if indeed she is leaving the show, why and her next move.
“I’m not making any comments in regards to that,” she said on phone.
Her exit from the show has left her fans disappointed, with some saying they will stop watching it.
“Glad I stopped following while it was fun,” said Roni Mayodi.
“She understands the assignment but for a show like Kina the audience already has some sort of ‘relationship’ with the cast,” said Mic Sonko.
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“I guess my relationship with the show is over,” commented Mukuiya R.
“Oh no! Sanaipei really is the star of the show,” Wakio Mbugua wrote.
Many of the fans also hold the view that Sanaipei Tande embodied the role of the ruthless and vicious Nana unlike her predecessor Mkamzee Mwatela who left the show before Sanaipei took over the role. Upon her exit, Mwatela hinted that behind the scenes, a lot of mistreatment and underhand dealings took place and that actors were not being paid well or on time.
Kina is a Kenyan production that airs on streaming platform Showmax. The series follows the ruthless battle for survival between the wealthy and powerful; and the oppressed employees who work for the rich but get nothing in return in return.
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Sanaipei, who plays Nana, a ruthless and unscrupulous businesswoman who owns Kina Waters water company and only believes in winning at whatever cost, including bribing and killing.
The main characters are Jimmi Gathu who plays Fred Tandala (Nana’s husband), Bruce Makau (Jabali – Nana’s nephew and right hand man) and Arabron Nyyneque who appeared as Daudi Mwakazi – a hardworking, loyal family man who set Nana on a dangerous path thus setting the stage for all the drama in the series.
“This is a storyline like no other that has ever been acted here (Kenya), or that I’ve ever been involved in… And it’s only going to get better. It takes a lot of energy to come out of my element and portray such a character. She’s very soft on the inside but on the outside, she really puts on this hardcore persona because you find that sometimes she actually breaks and lets her emotions get the better of her,” Sanaipei said of Nana and the show’s scripting in a 2020 interview.