Mampi Waves Bye To Big Brother Star Game

On the night Sunday, 27 May, 25-year-old Zambian R&B singer, Mampi, became the first Upville housemate to be evicted from the Big Brother StarGame. The Zambian was sent home after receiving the fewest country votes from Africa this week. She was also the most-nominated Upville housemate, with six nominations from her peers.

After a chance to hear what viewers from around the continent had to say about the show, it was time to get down to eviction business. The Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo auditor delivered the results envelope to IK on stage and confirmed that its contents had been verified. IK then took viewers into the house and asked DKB to reveal his ‘save and replace’ decision to the rest of the Upville housemates. After going to great lengths to explain that his decision was nothing personal, DKB broke the news that he had replaced himself with Lady May, prompting the Namibian to leap from the couch and shout “I knew it!”

As she considered her fate, IK asked her, Mampi and Maneta to stand. He put Lady May out of her misery first, telling her she was safe this week. “One of the other two housemates will be leaving this week,” said IK. “Sorry to say, Maneta, you’re not going anywhere – Mampi, you’ve been evicted, please leave the Big Brother house”.

When she emerged on stage, IK quizzed her about her beef with DKB and the most difficult part of life in the house. She revealed that she thought DKB had been interested in her and that she had really missed her family during her time in Upville – and that she was ready to leave. She told IK she would be voting for her “spidermate” Maneta but thought that Zainab would emerge from the show with the $300,000 prize.

After a brief rendition of her now-famous ‘thunder thighs’ dance, Mampi departed the Big Brother stage and it was time for a random nomination of the Downville housemates. Buhle and the auditor from Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo joined IK on stage and kick-started the random process. The first ball out of the cube bore the country name “Ghana”, meaning that Mildred and Keitta were the first randomly-nominated pair. They were followed by Edith and Eve joining their Ghanaian counterparts on the chopping block this week.

Mampi’s eviction means that 18 housemates remain in the Downville house, while there are now eight housemates in Upville – and they have 63 days to go in the game, in the battle for the $300,000 prize.

—Funsho Arogundade