Kenyan political thriller comes to Showmax

Showmax has unveiled the trailer for the upcoming Kenyan political thriller series County 49, featuring massive corruption and a looming uprising. 

Premiering on 25 August, County 49 follows the political intrigues of the fictional Bwatele County, Kenya’s 49^th county and the nation’s breadbasket. Despite the county’s wealth, its citizens are suffering from the high cost of living and scarce resources.

Now, against the backdrop of great civilian discontent, a disgraced security officer is compelled to save the new governor and her chief of staff – his estranged wife – from a local terrorist group.

The trailer opens with the new governor of Bwatele County, Nerimah Mkung, visiting the marginalised Sector 4 with a new message for change but it might be too little too late. Things take a wildly unexpected turn when the governor is taken hostage by an unknown group who’ve had enough of the plundering of their resources. Their message to the government as Bwatele plunges into chaos is clear: they want their money back. And they’re prepared to kill for it.

Governor Nerimah is forced to read this statement on live TV. “My fellow countrymen, I’m reading this statement on behalf of the citizens of Bwatele County. We have shut down Sector 4. The government has failed to deliver on their promises; we now want our money. We will distribute it amongst each other ourselves. If anyone tries to stage a rescue, the governor dies. If you send the army, your governor dies. If any of our demands are not met, your governor will be executed live online. Bring back our money.”

County 49 stars Wakio Mzenge (Selina), Nyokabi Macharia (Country Queen), Ainea Ojiambo (Igiza), Maqbul Mohammed (Crime and Justice), Martin Githinji (Sue na Jonnie), Peter Kawa (Uradi), Benson Ojuwa (Njoro wa Uba), Nick Kwach (Chaguo), Emmanuel Mugo (Igiza), Angela Mwandanda, Sam Psenjen (County Queen) and more.

The series is being produced by Kibanda Pictures, made up of Supa Modo and Crime and Justice director Likarion Wainaina, producer Millicent Ogutu, and Morning After and Country Queen co-director Brian Munene and actor-producer Bruce Makau. Munene also doubles as the show’s writer, alongside Voline Ogutu (Crime and Justice), Mercy Mutisya (Click Click Bang, Too Early for Birds), and Martin Kigondu, with veteran thespian John Sibi-Okumu as story consultant.

First announced in March 2022, County 49 is the fifth Showmax Original title in Kenya after the police procedural and legal drama Crime and Justice S1 and S2, the coming-of-age film Baba Twins, the drama series Single Kiasi and the thriller series Igiza.