Expo momentarily halts after headlining Tanzanian actress is unable to speak English

The Mashariki Creative Economy Expo 2026 momentarily came to a standstill on Thursday, August 20, 2026, after popular Tanzanian actress Rushynah was invited onto the stage to comment on whether actors receive royalties from films and television productions, only for the actress to remain silent after appearing unable to follow the question delivered in English.

The awkward moment happened during the star-studded film expo held at Milimani City, which brought together prominent figures from across the African creative industry, including celebrated South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who was among the event’s guest speakers.

During the unexpected moment, Chaka Chaka had just taken to the stage and was speaking about the steps Tanzania’s film industry could take to expand its reach while creating a stronger culture of supporting actors and other creatives to continue developing their craft.

It was during her address that she invited Rushynah onto the stage, introducing her as one of Tanzania’s successful actresses and asking her to shed light on whether actors in the country benefit from royalty payments from the films and television series they appear in.

Chaka Chaka appeared to expect the actress to immediately respond to the question as she sought to establish whether Tanzania had systems through which actors and filmmakers could earn royalties from their creative work.

“As a superstar and as an actress, let her come and share with us. Is there a society for actresses and for filmmakers? So do you get a royalty for the films and series that you make?” Chaka Chaka asked.

However, instead of responding, Rushynah remained silent as she stared at the veteran South African singer, appearing unable to understand what she had been asked.

The unexpected silence created an awkward moment on stage, with Chaka Chaka seemingly taken aback after the actress did not respond to the question.

The singer then turned to other people at the event and sought clarification, appearing to suggest that the language barrier had made it difficult for Rushynah to respond.

“Uh Tanzania. Where are the people from TAFA?” Chaka Chaka asked, as she sought someone who could respond to the question on behalf of the actress.

The moment was captured on video and later shared online by @vitaminmedia, with the footage showing the exchange between the two prominent figures.

Royalties question

As the singer sought an answer, another person who was recording the moment responded to the question, explaining that royalty structures existed but were largely associated with the music industry.

“It’s the music people only,” the person said.

The response prompted Chaka Chaka to push the conversation further, arguing that having royalty arrangements limited to music would not be sufficient if Tanzania wanted to build a stronger and more sustainable creative economy.

The veteran singer insisted that actors and filmmakers should also benefit from royalties generated from the work they create.

“So you mean it’s for music alone. Okay. So we want actors, and we want filmmakers as well,” Chaka Chaka said.

Her intervention shifted the attention away from the awkward exchange with Rushynah and towards the broader question of how actors and filmmakers can benefit financially from productions long after they have completed their roles.

Chaka Chaka appeared to emphasise the need for Tanzania’s creative industry to develop structures that would allow actors and filmmakers to earn from the continued use and commercial success of their work.

The discussion came as the Mashariki Creative Economy Expo sought to bring together creatives and industry stakeholders to explore ways of strengthening the region’s creative economy.

The event attracted personalities from different parts of the African entertainment industry, with Chaka Chaka among the high-profile speakers invited to share her experience and perspectives on the growth of the sector.

Meet and greet

Despite the awkward moment on stage, Rushynah and Chaka Chaka later appeared to put the incident behind them and shared a warm moment after the event.

In a video shared on Instagram by Vitamin Media, the two are seen holding hands as they walk out of the expo, appearing relaxed and cheerful as they leave the venue.

The pair later attended a meet-and-greet, where they continued interacting away from the stage.