Canal+ Group has launched Zacu TV, its first channel that airs 100 per cent of content in Kinyarwanda dedicated to customers who speak the language.

After Novegasy, Sunu Yeuf and Maboke TV, Zacu TV becomes Canal+ Group’s fourth channel with content in local language in sub-Saharan Africa.

Canal+ subscribers will be able to watch Zacu TV on Channel 99 starting on October 3 on Ikaze bouquet.

According to Sophie Tchatchoua, Managing Director of Canal+ Rwanda, Zacu TV will be the first channel dedicated to fiction in Kinyarwanda.

In August 2022, Canal+ completed acquisition of Zacu Entertainment, widely known for producing and distributing cinema in Rwanda.

Tchatchoua said the company’s ambitions is to give the best offers at affordable prices for all households in Rwanda, to prepare best content made by Rwandans, in Rwanda and for Rwanda and have a massive impact within the industry by supporting local festivals as well as production and post-production of Rwandan movies and TV series.

She stressed that Zacu TV will be a driver for the ambition.

"Zacu TV will give an opportunity to showcase the talents of Rwanda’s cinema industry. It will be a platform for everybody in Rwanda on a bouquet that costs Rwf5000,” she said.

Clémentine Tugendhat Egasse, Senior Vice President, thematic channels at Canal+ said their channels with content in local languages are currently in Senegal, Madagascar, DRC and Rwanda.

She noted that they are closely looking forward to reaching more subscribers in the country and promoting the amazing and dynamic production industry in Rwanda.

"At Canal+, we strongly believe in local content and we are ready to invest in its development. That’s why we have already invested in Zacu Entertainment,” she said.

Cédric Pierre-Louis, Director of Programming African fiction channels of thematic channels at Canal+ said that Zacu TV will not only air Kinyarwanda movies and TV series but also international ones dubbed in Kinyarwanda as well as music videos and showbiz news.

The programme will repeat from 8p.m targeting subscribers unavailable during daytime to catch up, according to Pierre-Louis.

Wilson Misago, Director of Production and Acquisition for the channel said much of the content will be produced by Rwandan producers and creators, adding that in the next three months, the channel will air three local series of 52 episodes produced by Zacu TV.

Each episode will have 26 minutes, he said, adding that they also have four feature movies to broadcast.

One of the new series "The Bishop’s Family” directed by Roger Niyoyita will be aired from October 3. "Uwera” directed by Yuhi Amuli will also be broadcast on the channel.

Misago also declared that one of the answers Zacu TV brings is a market for local film producers because the channel will either purchase content from them or give them money to produce the content.

From November 8, Zacu TV will be on Channel 8 and 390 of CANAL+.