Filmmaker Daudi Anguka tackles organ trafficking in new series 'Mizani'

 Kenyan filmmaker Daudi Anguka is pushing boundaries once again with Mizani, a new drama thriller that places Coast stories at the forefront while confronting the unsettling reality of organ trafficking.

The series, Anguka’s first project commissioned by Showmax, is shot and set in Mombasa.

He describes the project as a deliberate attempt to amplify stories rooted in the Coast. “When I conceived Mizani, my starting point was simple.  I wanted to hear different audiences talking about their stories,” he says, calling the series “a love letter to the Coast”.

Known for earlier productions including Pete, Sanura and Mkasi, the filmmaker says this time he intentionally moved into darker territory.

Rather than a traditional telenovela, Mizani embraces suspense and moral tension. “Storytelling must entertain and educate,” he explains.

“There are many things happening around us that people don’t talk about. My job is to shape those realities into stories people relate to.”

The show revisits themes explored in his earlier project Mvera, particularly organ trafficking.

However, he stresses that while the theme overlaps, the worlds are different. His research revealed the complexity of the issue across communities. “Organ trafficking is a massive chain. One theme, many realities. One truth, many stories,” he says.

Mizani, he adds, is grounded in realities seen across Africa, where economic hardship can push individuals towards difficult decisions.

The title itself meaning “scales” reflects the moral balance at the centre of the story. “Do you save yourself or destroy yourself? That is the scale of life,” he says.

The production features a largely Coast-based cast led by Michael Saruni, who plays Suleiman, a struggling print journalist navigating ambition, survival and fatherhood.

The filmmaker says casting local talent was essential to authenticity. “This is the first Showmax project commissioned in Mombasa. The audience needed to see themselves in the characters.

Suleiman and his daughter Amira form the emotional core of the series, guiding viewers into the story’s darker themes while keeping its human focus.

Anguka’s journey from local producer to internationally recognised filmmaker says he was inspired early on by filmmaker Clifford Okumu and the impact of Nairobi Half Life, he says those influences affirmed his ambitions.

“I realised I wasn’t just a local producer,” Anguka says. “African stories can travel. Mizani is part of that journey.”