Diamond Platnumz banned from performing in Tanzania

Diamond Plattinumz

One of Africa’s top musicians – Diamond Platnumz – has been banned from performing in Tanzania.

Basata, the regulatory arts board in the East African nation, said it had taken the decision because he had performed one of his songs that had been banned a few weeks ago.

On Sunday the singer, who popularised “bongo flava”, Tanzanian hip hop, performed the song Mwanza to big crowds during a festival in the port city of the same name.

Mwanza was banned as the lyrics contained the Swahili word for “horny” and because the authorities considered some of the dance moves in the video to be lascivious.

The statement from Basata said Diamond Platnumz and another musician, Rayvanny, who also features in the song, had also been banned from doing shows outside the country – although it was not clear how this would be enforced.

Prior to the ban, Diamond was booked for a performance on Boxing Day in Mombassa Kenya but with this ban, the show most likely will not happen.

But according to Diamond’s manager Babu Tale, the shows have not yet been cancelled as they intend to engage the Tanzanian government to reconsider the decision taken.