BIG BROTHER AFRICA 5: PLEASE DON'T APPLY

Big Brother is back for it's fifth installment people starting July 18. However, if you have never, ever, ever applied to be in the past four seasons, then my apologies, you will not be in this season either.
MNet revealed that having run the series 4 times previously, they’re now head-hunting contestants from a database of previous entries submitted for the show.
“We want to invest more broadly in season 5 and having already been introduced to a world of interesting characters from previous searches, there’s limited value in spending extensively in another search for contestants,” says -Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi.
She goes on to say, “We’ll still be looking for entertaining persons with a sense of humor, a love of adventure and the ability to enjoy the very exciting Big Brother experience. In the past we’ve spent widely to find contestants in 14 countries. This year, we’re using these funds to develop a gutsy new series, recreating the house in a very different way and focusing on putting new technology into place.”
M-Net will kick-off a sensational new season of Africa’s biggest reality show right after the World Cup ends.
Similar to the past season, the golden prize of USD 200 000 is up for grabs and this time, Big Brother fans in over 40 countries across the continent are going to get a show that’s more edgy, more tactically challenging and more intensely strategic than ever before.

NAMELESS TO AUCTION HIS FASHION ACCESSORIES FOR CHARITY

Nameless will be donating something near and dear to him for charity. He is the guest artiste at the Music4Haemophilia’s Second Annual Fundraising Dinner on June 26 at the Carnivore and he will be auctioning his trademark celebrity accessories.
According to the fundraising programme, Nameless’ sunglasses will go for a starting price of Sh15 000 while his durag will go for Sh5000.
Also up for auction is 3 nights in Bonde, Diani for Sh40000 and a weekend for two at Bluebay Beach resort Zanzibar on half board in a superior sea view room, plus return flight from Nairobi all at a starting price of Sh45000.
The proceeds will go into supporting Jose Memorial Haemophilia Society-Kenya (JMHS-K), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping those living with haemophilia, a rare genetic blood clotting disorder.
The Second Annual Fundraising Dinner is hoped to raise Sh4 million.

DESIGNER KIMATHI JOINS BONO’S WIFE IN CAMPAIGN

The genius behind Jamhuri Wear, Jeffrey Kimathi, will have the privilege to work with Alison Hewson, an activist and the wife of U2's lead singer Bono, in an Africa For Africa charity T-shirt campaign.
Zazzle - the leader of on-demand retail manufacturing - announced that it has expanded its partnership with Edun Live, the sustainable T-shirt brand founded by Alison and her husband Bono. Edun Live and Zazzle are now engaging artistes to create a wide range of designs related to Africa and football.
Kimathi is among the five designers chosen. “The T-shirt made will be sold during the World Cup season, but since they will not be available for Africans, I plan to make some specifically for the Kenyan fans,” Kimathi told Hot Secrets.
All designs will be submitted by African designers, and will be sold only at African Edun Live blank T-shirts events. Ten per cent of all proceeds will be donated to Invisible Children, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing financial help to children by documenting their true untold stories in a creative and relevant way, resulting in positive change.
The new designs will be available online at www.zazzle.com/edunlive. They will be printed on Edun Live's 100 per cent certified organic cotton T-shirts, and each of the designers will receive income from each sale, consistent with Zazzle user terms.
Other Kenyan designers chosen for the project are Bonk run by Ashi Kariuki, Aika-Grace Temu and Fady Rostom; they are all known for their funky tees and bags.
Then there is Paul Douglas Kihiko, a graffiti artist and designer who works as an artist co-ordinator with the British Council in Kenya.
Also represented are Ugandan artist and graphic designer David Ssengendo and design company G1 Media and finally Zetuzakale Productions, a group of East African designers.

Kimathi’s Photo/ MYRON CHRISTIAN PHOTOGRAPHY

KANJII MBUGUA NOMINATED FOR AFRICA GOSPEL AWARDS

Gospel singer Kanjii Mbugua has been nominated for two awards by the Africa Gospel Awards. Kanjii is up for Best Non-UK Artiste/ Group and Best Non-UK Gospel Song for his hit single Just A Man.
UK-based Kenyan gospel artiste Beatrice Muniu is also nominated for Best Female Contemporary African Gospel and Best Music Video.
To vote for Kanjii visit their website.

KENYAN MODEL WOWS IN INTERNATIONAL BIKINI CONTEST

Kenya’s runway lioness Diana Nekoye represented the country at Miss Bikini International World Final held in the tropical resort of Sanya in south China's Hainan Province on May 29.
Nekoye surprised everyone not only by being one of the only two African girls in the competition but also bagged two crowns for Kenya.
Diana who made the top 13 finalists was earlier crowned first runner up Best Figure, and in the final round named Miss Bikini Summer first runner up. There were delegates from 64 countries from around the world took part in the contest.
Diana will feature in the special edition calendar produced to promote the Chinese city together with the other 12 contestants.

WANURI KAHIU FEATURES IN VOGUE MAGAZINE

Celebrated director Wanuri Kahiu has been featured in this month’s Vogue Italia, the Italian edition of Vogue magazine. In the interview, Wanuri discussing both her personal and public life.
Wanuri also pays tribute to Hollywood director Philip Noyce whom she worked with on movies like The Italian Job and Catch a Fire. “He inspired me and in that film I really learned more than in any film school and I realised what it means to work with actors and directing it was my really first training."
Anyhow, read it all huuuuur.

RAPPER NAZIZI IS A MUM

It’s been like forever since we heard anything from the first lady of Hip Hop, Nazizi Hirji. Well, last week the rapper posted some juicy news on her Facebook wall. The Necessary Noise member who has been married for two years now is a proud parent of a baby boy called Tafari.
The Kenyan Boy Kenyan Girl hitmaker is now hinting at getting back into the game. Apparently they are in discussion with Wyre on a new yet to be recorded single. Hot Secrets congratulates Nazizi and her new family.