On November 20, 2018, Harmonize pushed back at Starehe Member of Parliament Jaguar after the politician accused him of disrespecting Kenyan fans over his failure to perform at the inaugural Chaget Festival in Eldoret.
The Tanzanian bongo flava star had been billed for the event a fortnight earlier, but he did not take to the stage after the promoters reportedly failed to clear his balance before the performance. That absence triggered criticism from Jaguar, who said Harmonize should have gone ahead with the show and sorted out payment later with the organisers.
Jaguar’s remarks framed the matter as one of gratitude to Kenyan supporters, saying the artiste had chosen money over the fans who have backed him throughout his career. Harmonize, however, said the MP should have contacted him first to understand what had happened instead of commenting publicly.
Speaking while in Kenya, Harmonize defended his position and said he respected Jaguar as an artiste and a public figure, but insisted the MP was not the right person to speak for promoters. He said, “Kama msanii namheshimu sana na pia ni mtu anaheshimika pia na watu, and what he says makes a great impact on people. Yeye ni kiongozi wa wasanii ila sio wa promoters,” Harmonize said.
The exchange left the payment dispute and the Eldoret no-show at the centre of a wider argument about artiste obligations, promoter accountability, and how public figures should handle such disagreements.
