From the vastness of domestic violence, the victims are left hopeless. Wanting to stay silent to the public about their situation for various reasons like protecting family name, losing shelter etc., victims end up handling their situations in extraordinary ways based on their out-sourced advice. Later, they realize that the advice they took did not really work for them and they decide to do things the right way and/or by involving the law.

UMUTENGE is a drama serial which aims at exposing culprits and educating victims about the hidden domestic violence acts in a typical Zambian home.

Derived from a local proverb which states, “the roof of a home you don’t live in is so admirable”, the series deliberate issues that spark domestic violence in a relatively comfortable home comprising of a couple, their daughter, and their nephew.

The cast:

Mr Damson Changala

Damson is a hard-working high ranking police officer, 47 years old, that is soft-spoken and very calm. He is also very inquisitive, which qualifies his choice of profession.  He happens to earlier have married the current wife’s friend but divorced because the first wife could not bear children. He met the current wife at the time he was having problems with the first wife in the first two years of their marriage. The moment he learned that she was pregnant with his child, he divorced the first wife.

Mrs Sylvia Changala

Sylvia is a 37 years old housewife who is trying so hard to be self-employed but only gets to close deals that are manipulated by her cunning character. She is so hypocritical that she gets away with innocence even where she is a culprit. Over the years, she has had a secret relationship with the father of her child Chibwe, who she falsely professed to be Damson Changala’s child.

Chibwe Changala

Chibwe is an 18-year-old girl, slim and with her mother’s physical traits in stature. Raised up by her stepfather whom she was made to believe is her biological father. She has a temper problem and very ambitious. She is also very ambitious.

Ganizani

A 25-year-old young man who left his poor mother to come and stay with the uncle in order to further his studies. He is an accounts student and very charismatic and easily influenced because of his soft nature.

Here are some main highlights of the show:

Chibwe has an affair with her father’s friend who happens to be as good as her own father in age. The pressure is on to discipline a stepdaughter for a man who is pushed to his limits and ends up on the wrong side of the law. Senses are pumped back into his head by the wife who has “a better way of handling the matter”.

Sylvia is caught after she had a relationship with her friend's husband. The friend now seeks not only revenge for her emotions but for the truth to be known. She lures their Ganizani to sneak her clothes in the couple’s bedroom. Tension and suspicions break out until the real truth is found out.

Drunken Damson sexually abuses her daughter and “I was drunk” is the only explanation he gives.  The daughter loses respect for him and the wife decides to leave him. His friend comes in to try and talk back to peace in the home. 

Sylvia has been sexually abusing his nephew and her husband finds out the truth the hard way.