Jabu’s Homecoming, Zim’s first WhatsApp exclusive drama series

If there is one thing that you have heard here a million times, it’s that WhatsApp is the internet in Zimbabwe. And this point is best described by the announcement of Jabu’s Homecoming which is set to be the first WhatsApp exclusive drama series in Zimbabwe.

Join the Zimbabwe’s first-ever WhatsApp drama series – Jabu’s Homecoming!!!

This interactive drama will be told entirely on WhatsApp in texts, photos, voice notes and video.

You do not want to miss this!!

To be part of it, send hi to 0719 900 790 #Jabu pic.twitter.com/Wst6TiqfYP

— Jabu’s Homecoming (@HomecomingJabu) May 12, 2021

Now I think this is absolutely brilliant because if there is one service we use the most it’s WhatsApp. This is due in part to the country’s mobile network operators offering (MNOs) a data bundle for the service and snubbing Telegram and Signal.

Now, this isn’t totally their fault because when WhatsApp started gaining popularity, MNOs saw an opportunity to lean into it. This resulted in the platform taken on a life of its own and is pretty much what millions in the country know of as the internet or is their first exposure to it (mostly due to the cost of wider data bundles). Without the figures to back up the viability of a Signal or Telegram bundle, WhatsApp will continue to reign supreme.

It looks like this is something that the creators of Jabu’s Homecoming are taking advantage of and to be honest who can blame them? There are few avenues for content creators to get their work out there that isn’t massively resource-intensive or riddled with bureaucracy. WhatsApp is certainly a low-cost option that also guarantees the widest audience.

So… as the tweet above describes all you need to do to get involved in this interactive experience is get in touch +263 719 900 790. The show officially commences on Sunday the 16th of May 2021 so I guess we will have a review for it then.