Henry Joe Sakala

Henry Joe Sakala is an award-winning Zambian writer, producer, director and actor whose career spans television, film, theatre, publishing and media education. A passionate storyteller, he is committed to developing authentic African narratives and creating opportunities for emerging creative voices. He has served as Director of H.J. Sakala Media Productions since 2017 and also runs Myaambo Publishing House. For television, he is credited with leading local productions at MUVI Television from 2006 to 2014, he created and produced Seasons 1 and 2 of Butuku for the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC). He was head writer for Zambia’s number one TV series Mpali from Season 1 to Season 4. He also created the Zambezi Magic drama series Kopala and served as its head writer. His film acting credits include many works in theatre and film such as Last Steps, Samangika, Redemption, Mfuti, Red Bag, PureHeart, Zuza and Just Our Luck. Sakala’s work has earned recognition across stage and screen. He came out second in the 2022 NEFTI Shorts Competition and won Best Theatre Director at the 2025 Ngoma Awards. Earlier, Reflection of Sadness, which he wrote, was named Best Feature Film at the 2009 Ngoma Awards and received further honours from the National Association for Media Arts. Alongside his creative and entrepreneurial work, Sakala is a part-time lecturer at ZAMCOM, where he shares practical industry knowledge with the next generation of media practitioners. His work brings together storytelling, production, mentorship and cultural enterprise, reflecting a long-standing commitment to Zambia’s creative industries and the wider African screen sector.