MANY know her as Edna the People’s Bae, one of Zambia’s vibrant and energetic television personalities who has built a name for herself through presenting and online media content.
But what many people may not know is that before stepping in front of cameras, Edna Mwansa once dreamed of becoming a professional footballer and even used to abscond classes just to play the sport she loved.
Years after discovering her passion for media, the renowned presenter has become one of the familiar faces on television and digital platforms, hosting shows, conducting interviews and creating content that continues to attract a growing audience.
Born and raised in Lusaka’s Kaunda Square, Edna spent much of her early life under the care of her grandmother after losing her mother at a young age, while her father remained actively present in her life.
She began her education at Nachingwa School in Kaunda Square before later moving to Malawi where she attended Joyce Banda School.
However, her stay in Malawi did not last long as she returned to Zambia around 2009 following the death of her mother.
It was after returning to Kaunda Square that Edna discovered her passion and talent for football while playing with other children in the streets.
“I thought I was going to be a footballer. I used to dodge class for football,” she revealed to #Kalemba.
Unlike most girls her age who preferred other activities, Edna gravitated toward sports and soon joined Sports in Action, a youth football programme in Kaunda Square where she often played in boys’ teams.
At the time, she was usually the only female in the team but still managed to stand out as one of the best players, a talent that once attracted the attention of Muvi TV which featured her in a youth programme.
Her family later attempted to slow down her involvement in football by sending her to boarding school at St Monica’s Secondary School in Chipata around 2011.
Despite being in boarding school, Edna continued playing football and was even selected to represent provincial teams during her time there.
However, her football dreams slowly faded after she learned that some of her friends from Sports in Action had travelled to Mauritius to play football while she remained behind, a moment she said discouraged her from continuing the sport.
After St Monica’s, she later switched schools and attended Macha Girls Secondary School where the football team was not strong, prompting her to try basketball instead, before completed her secondary education in 2014.
After completing school, Edna briefly considered pursuing a career in law before eventually enrolling at DMI St Eugene University in 2016 where she studied medical and psychiatry.
Although she successfully completed her studies and graduated in 2020 right before her grandmother died in 2019, Edna still had no clear idea that her future would be in television.
After struggling to find employment, she began spending time at a local music studio owned by a neighbour who was a producer.
One day, she was asked to record a few lines for a song, an experience that sparked her interest in the entertainment industry.
“That’s when I fell in love with music and even convinced myself I was a rapper. I called myself Lil Nana,” she laughed.
While trying to find opportunities, she also responded to a call by a music producer Kademo who had posted that he was looking for a female rapper.
She reached out to him and began spending more time around the studio environment while also continuing to send out job applications to places such as Great North Road Academy, Chainama and other institutions, hoping to find employment related to her studies.
However, she never received responses to most of the applications she submitted.
Instead of staying idle at home, she continued spending time at the studio where another opportunity eventually presented itself.
One day, a video director and his team were planning to start an online show and were looking for someone to present it.
Edna was asked if she could host the programme and she agreed, remembering the presentation skills she had learned while in school.
The show, called Trend Splash, focused on summarizing trending stories in short segments lasting about three minutes.
The programme quickly gained attention online and audiences enjoyed her presenting style.
Because of the positive response, the producers eventually decided to make the show her own.
Her work soon attracted the attention of the owner of Zed TV who invited her to host a television programme covering entertainment events.
While working there, executives at Power TV noticed her work and later offered her an opportunity to join their station.
She has now spent about five years working with Power TV, building her reputation as a television presenter and interviewer.
Like many public figures, Edna said she has also had to deal with criticism on social media, a reality she said comes with being in the public eye.
She explained that the experience taught her to stay focused on her goals and avoid taking advice or criticism from people whose guidance she has never sought.
“Whatever I do has to be God-centred. You also have to know where you are coming from and what you want to achieve,” she said.
“Don’t sleep around. If you are in the industry for work, let it be work.”
Along the way, she also became involved in Zambia Music Blog (ZMB) Talks, a Zambian music platform founded by the late Phill, who believed in her talent and allowed her to present the show.
Rather than start a completely new platform after his death, Edna decided to continue nurturing ZMB Talks as a way of honouring the vision he had for the programme.
Throughout her media journey, Edna has interviewed several high-profile figures in the entertainment industry both locally and internationally.
Among the notable names she has interviewed are global music stars such as Rema, Nasty C, Ruga and Don Jazzy, alongside several leading Zambian artists and personalities.
Away from television, Edna is a devoted christian who enjoys going to the gym, playing FIFA and listening to podcasts, which she said help her learn and stay informed.
She also enjoys listening to different music genres including R&B, hip hop, Afrobeats, amapiano and even country music.
As her career continues to grow, Edna said she now wants to focus on producing more unique content such as documentaries that highlight stories and communities that many people often overlook.
By George Musonda
Kalemba March 10, 2026
