Namadingo, Onesimus Missing at State House COSOMA Dinner – Fans Cry Foul as “Chakwera’s Arts Stars” List Raises Eyebrows

A glamorous State House dinner hosted by President Lazarus Chakwera yesternight for top artists benefiting from COSOMA’s K1.5 billion blank media levy, has sparked backlash after notable stars Namadingo and Onesimus were conspicuously missing from the guest list despite being known beneficiaries of the royalties.

The event, held at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe and dubbed “Chakwera’s Arts Stars”, celebrated creatives who are said to be raising the Malawi flag globally. It also served as a cheque handover and award night for top-earning musicians, actors, and writers.

While artists like Eli Njuchi and Driemo topped the payout list with K23 million each, and others like Zeze Kingston, Saint, Gibo Pearson, and Wikise followed closely behind, fans quickly noticed the absence of two of Malawi’s biggest names in recent years.

Netizens questioned why Namadingo, who has consistently ranked among the top earners in COSOMA distributions, and Onesimus, an internationally recognized artist, were left out of the public celebration.

Namadingo later responded on Facebook:

“I have received my cheque from COSOMA. I just asked them to present it to me privately as they always do. But I am thankful for being in the Top Ten always. Thank you Namafans.”

The post did little to silence debate, with some supporters arguing that the exclusion seemed intentional or political, while others pointed fingers at favoritism in the selection of attendees.

As for Onesimus, he has remained silent, fueling further speculation and online theories about what could be going on behind the scenes.

Critics have since accused COSOMA and government officials of “cherry-picking” artists to showcase at the State House event, despite branding it a national celebration of creativity.

Meanwhile, COSOMA confirmed it has disbursed K1.5 billion in royalties for content reproduced between April 2024 and March 2025, under the blank media levy a system that remains controversial and murky in transparency, especially when it comes to how artists are prioritized.

The event featured figures from music, poetry, drama, and literature but for many Malawians, it’s who wasn’t there that has become the biggest headline.