Diamond Platnumz, the man who arguably carries the torch of Bongo Flava across East Africa, is a man at the crossroads.
To his right is a wide road lined on either side by his huge fan base that is ever growing thirsty for his music. On the narrow road to the left, however, is Tanzania's regulatory body Baraza la Sanaa la Taifa (BASATA).
His catchy song ‘Mwanza’ is threatening to tear apart the singer after BASATA’s recent move to ban him and his Wasafi label mate Rayvanny for violating the body’s rules.
An audio has since emerged online in which a visibly pained Diamond is heard saying that he is ready to exile himself out of Tanzania.
“Kama hamutaki niperform si naondoka naenda country nyingine tu, nabaki uko naperform nyimbo zangu, kama sheria hairuhusu nyimbo kuchezwa Tanzania, tamaduni Kenya zinaniruhusu. Kwa nini, kwa sababu gani wanikataza niperform kwa nini sasa? Wataka mimi nife na njaa? Utanilisha wewe?” Said the Wasafi CEO.
Why Kenya?
Well, despite owning mansions in South Africa, Diamond enjoys a near fanatic following here in Kenya second only to his home country.
The Sikomi crooner and his Wasafi bigwigs were here two weeks ago where they thrilled fans at a mega event held in Thika.
He is again scheduled for several shows here in the country over the Christmas and New Year period. Efforts by SDE to reach the show’s organizers on the predicament faced by their star attraction was however futile.
The exchange between the pop star and BASATA started after he (and Rayvanny) went against orders and performed the outlawed “Mwanza” song during their Wasafi Festival tours.
A move not taken lightly by BASATA who subsequently declared that the two were banned from performing in and out of Tanzania.
“The board has reached a decision to formally ban Diamond and Rayvanny from holding performances in and outside Tanzania due to their indiscipline and disrespect to BASATA. The Wasafi Festival organizers have shown that they would do everything possible to disrepute the board,” said BASATA.