Nairobi News

Tanzanian authorities have banned the mainstream media from playing a song by Diamond Platnumz and Zuchu, but are the singers regretting the move?

The hit, titled Mtasubiri, which is three minutes fifty-four seconds song, was banned by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) on grounds some religious denominations were disrespected by its content.

TCRA said it received a letter from the National Arts Council (BASATA) stopping the public performance and distribution of Mtasubiri video.

It ordered the mainstream and social media outlets in the East African country from playing the song until Diamond Platnumz alias Nasib Abdul and Zuhura Othuman Soud popularly known as Zuchu edit some scenes from it, and specifically the ones shot in church.

This ban doesnt affect YouTube however. By the time of writing this article, the song’s official video had garnered 11 million views and 157,000 likes on the channel and was trending at number 2.

This means despite the song being banned in Tanzania, the two singers still enjoy airtime around the world, and will rake in income from royalties on YouTube depending on how many views it attracts.

The singers have challenged the decision to ban the song.

“We are just young people who are scouting for a livelihood without getting tired but our parents @basata.tanzania have broken us in front of the whole society without caring about our feelings,” Zuchu complained.

“I am questioning myself whether there was anything wrong with that scene? Did you wear mini-dresses/skirts? No. Did you twerk or sang vulgar while in church? No. Did you smoke bhang or cigarette? No. Did you kiss or drink alcohol while in church? No.

The phone rang but did you pick while inside? No. Are we the first to shoot while in church? No. Are there people who have shot videos and movies that are disregarding the church…were their songs banned? No.”

Mtasubiri was first released as lyrics video mid-March under the umbrella of Diamond’s latest LP titled First of All- FOA .