TV co-host Anita Nzaro: Dating Willy Tuva?

 Is Anita Nzaro, the talk-of-town Mombasa-based Mseto East Africa co-host dating her boss Willy Tuva? Why are some artistes in Mombasa talking ill of her?

Pulse: It is just last week that you caused a storm when you put doubts in an Instagram post by rapper Cash Era, before you deleted your comments. Were you backing down?

Anita: First of all, Cash Era is my homeboy and I did not intend to offend him. I posted my comments as a joke, because I like having fun and joking is my hobby. I did not intend to demean him.

P: But this is not the first time that you have been accused of acting like that. There are allegations that you like taking down artistes and saying they would not amount to much...

A: That is partly true, but it’s because I do not know how to sugarcoat things. They call me The Iron Lady; in Mombasa because I tell it like it is. These artistes release one song and then pretend like they own showbiz. I blast any artiste that has forgotten why they are doing music.

I keep them in check, in short. They need to step up or quit and go home. Artistes in Nairobi are working day and night to push their limits, why wouldn’t artistes from the coast do the same?

P: Mombasa artistes and showbiz players have always talked ill or accused one another of bringing down each other. By you going hard on them, aren’t you bringing budding talents down?

A: I like Mombasa. I was born here and I appreciate serious artistes from here. In fact, Pwani Celebrity Awards, which I started, is meant to recognise and appreciate these artistes.

But the truth needs to be said. Most of these artistes need to step up and improve on their brands. If a video or an audio is bad, it needs to be said and the artiste needs to go back to the drawing board and improve. No more, no less.

P: Talking of Pwani Celebrity Awards, there have been allegations that there is favouritism towards a few of your friends...

A: Such allegations will always be there. The first Pwani Celebrity Awards was the only one where we chose nominees, mostly because the new baby in town was unknown. As for the others, it’s the fans that choose the nominees. Some artistes and celebrities push their fans to vote for them, so if you are a celebrity who has no brains and does not push fans to make you win, you will not win. The nomination and voting is done online and fairly.

P: But you must be aware of the ruckus most Coast awards have caused over the years through favouritism...

A: Yes I have. In fact, I have complained about the eventual winners once or twice because these awards did not recognise or appreciate musicians like Mzee Ngala who have been there for decades.

P: What is your relationship with Willy Tuva? Is it true that the two of you are very close and that he bought you a vehicle as a gift?

A: (Laughs) Makubwa hayo (big news)! Before I was selected to be a co-host for his TV show, he was not a person I would have described as a friend. But now he is my boss. He has taught me how to host the show and research for material.

P: So he did not buy you a car as a gift for being his girlfriend of sorts as some artistes were alleging recently?

A: No. He is married and I respect that. I am an entrepreneur who supplies goods to numerous county governments in Coast. I am also the CEO of Ashantyz Promotions and Catering Services. I have built my name as an event organiser in Mombasa. I can buy a vehicle if I want to. I do not need Willy or any man to do that for me.

P: So you want to mean all this rumours and allegations are baseless?

A: You know how my brothers and sisters from the Coast are. They are huge on speculation, accusations and rumours instead of working. The fact that a beautiful and amazing lady with no background in media can manage to host a show that is beamed across the region will always be a talking point for them.

As a matter of fact, I auditioned for the show like anyone else and I underwent four interviews. I got to be on the show on merit!