The Kalasha Awards Gala, which took place on May 2, will probably go down in history as an award ceremony that awarded an eclectic array of films, including ‘Nawi’ the story of a Turkana girl just yearning for more to life than marriage, ‘Sukari’ a film exploring little talked about sexual relations in a conservative marriage and the beloved documentary ‘The People Shall’ honouring the Finance Bill Protests 2024 and its victims.
In the TV category, ‘Kash Money’, a Netflix original by Phillippe Bresson and Grace Kahaki, took home most of the awards, with Bresson calling it a “we came to collect” moment.
It also goes down as the only Kalasha award ceremony in which a sitting President was invited as the Guest of Honour.
See the full list of Kalasha Awards 2026 Winners below:
Best Feature Film
Nawi — Brizan Were, Lydia Wrensch And Caroline Heim
Best Lead Actress In A Film
Michelle Lemuya (Nawi)
Best Lead Actor In A Film
Juma Mdoe (Sukari)
Best Supporting Actress In A Film
Ivy Collette (Owadwa)
Best Supporting Actor In A Film
Jave Samson (Sukari)
Best Director
Omar Hamza (Sukari)
Best Original Screenplay
Sukari — June Wairegi & Omar Hamza
Jury Award
Memory Of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser
Best Cinematographer
The Dog — Andrew Mungai And Baker Karim
Best Sound Designer
Sarah — Eric Musyoka
Best Editor
The People Shall — Mark Maina
Best Visual Effects
Memory Of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser
Best Gaffer
The Dog — Walter Odhiambo
Best Costume Designer
Nawi – Dear Future Me — Viva Njeri
Best Makeup Artist
2 Asunder — John Michuki
Best Production Designer
Nawi – Dear Future Me — Erikson Kang’ethe
Best Documentary
The People Shall — Mark Maina
Best Animation
Lore — Mary Wanjiku
Best Kenyan Indigenous Film
Sarah — Sarah Tenoi, Nick Reding, Amos Leuka
Best Short Film
Sukari — June Wairegi
Best Student Film
Dinner For Three
Best Documentary By A Student
The Inkidongi
People’s Choice Award – Feature Film
Nawi
Best International Film
Jimbi
Best Children’s Production
Ndemwa
Best TV Drama
Kash Money — Grace Kahaki
Best Lead Actress in a TV Drama
June Njenga (Big Girl Small World)
Best Lead Actor in a TV Drama
John Sibi Okumu (Kash Money)
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama
Amara Tari (Kash Money)
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Drama
Lenana Kariba (Kash Money)
Best TV Director
Kash Money — Grace Kahaki And Philippe Bresson
Best TV Scriptwriter
Big Girl Small World — Angela Ruhinda
People’s Choice Award – TV Drama
MTV Shuga Mashariki
Lifetime Achievement Award
John Karanja
Digital Content Creator Of The Year
Edwin Wainaina
Positive Impact Content Creator Of The Year
Shiksha Arora
