Actor and filmmaker Brian Kabugi cut his dreadlocks for 'Salem', a new drama series that premiered on Maisha Magic on Monday.
Speaking to Word Is, Kabugi, whose debut was on 'Machachari', said he took up the role to spark a conversation about mental health in young people.
"Young people are underrepresented on our TV shows, and people don't understand that this is the critical stage that impacts a generation," he said.
"After programmes like 'Machachari', I realised that most young people no longer watch TV coz we are not represented, although we are going through a lot of problems."
He said the kind of things Tito goes through in the programme is what he wants to advocate as Kabugi and the platform he holds.
"Many young men are dealing with daddy issues and absent fathers, and this is one of the major flaws of our generation," he said.
He said when he narrates the role to his friends, they relate to it very well.
Kabugi calls out those responsible to create a conversation around mental health and raising responsible future fathers.
He added that most young people suffer from toxic relationships with their fathers.
"They think I know their lives. Personally, it has affected me," he said.
"Unless we have proper fathers as father figures, we will continue complaining about young men being crooks. They are not respecting women. How will we teach these young men to respect women yet there are no fathers?"
Kabugi lost his dad at a young age, and he remembers how his mum struggled to make him a better teenager.
Topics like how liking the opposite sex could affect young people will be talked about in Salem.
"Why do young people end up in crime and drug addiction, thinking they are getting what love is?"
During the launch of 'Salem', award-winning producer Njoki Muhoho said the show is inspired by the reality of our world.
"The stories that we live out each day, and the tangible lives we live. Having the opportunity to tell stories that audiences can connect with is the backbone of telling local stories."
