Tanzania’s music regulatory board Baraza La Sanaa la Taifa (BASATA) has banned musician Diamond Platnumz from performing on any show or organizing any concert in and outside Tanzania effective Wednesday.
In a statement to newsrooms, the Board issued a ban notice of an unspecified period on Diamond and his Wasafi record label singer Rayvanny for challenging its authority over their song ‘Mwanza’.
BASATA in the notice said that it had no choice but to take stern action on the musicians for continuing to disregard and disrespecting the board’s position on the ‘Mwanza’ song.
“Baraza La Sanaa la Taifa (Basata) limewafungia wasanii wa muziki wa kizazi kipya Nasib Abduol (Diamond Platnumz) na Raymond Shaban Mwakyusa (Rayvan) kutofanya onyesho lolote ndani na nje ya nchi kwa muda usiojulikana kuanzia leo tarehe 18/12/2018.
Itakumbukwa kuwa mnamo tarehe 12/11/2018 Basata ilitoa taarifa kwa umma kuhusu kufungia wimbo unaojulikana kwa jina la ‘Mwanza’.
Baraza limefikia maamuzi ya kuwafungia rasmi kutokana na wasanii hawa kuendelea kuonyesha dharau na utovu wa nidhamu kwa Mamlaka zinazosimamia Masuala ya Sanaa nchini,” read part of the statement.
BASATA had last month banned ‘Mwanza’ from air play in Tanzania and also directed the musicians to pull it down from various online platforms. The singers were also warned against performing the song at any gathering in Tanzania.
The warning was in addition to the Ksh. 400, 000 fine imposed on the Tanzanian singers just a few days after the song was released.
Despite the warnings, Diamond has continued to entertain his fans with the song since the start of his Wasafi Festival Tour in Tanzania which has already taken place in Mtwara, Sumbawanga na recently in Mwanza.
The board has also revoked the license it had issued certifying the Wasafi Festival.
With the ban, the much hyped Wasafi Festival set to take place in Kenya on New Year’s eve is now in Limbo.
Do you think the Tanzanian music board is justified in banning artists from performing outside of TZ?