This archive report was first published on 28 August 2019.
On August 27, 2019, Ezekiel Mutua, the CEO of the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), banned the song 'Tetema' by Rayvanny and Diamond Platnumz, citing that the song's lyrics were offensive to children.
However, in a statement, Godfrey Mngereza, the Secretary General of BASATA, said that the board had been monitoring the song and found it to be clean and free of any issues.
According to Mngereza, the board's usual practice is to review all songs and take action if they are found to be objectionable, including banning them.
He questioned why the song was being singled out for ban, saying, 'I don't know what criteria they used to ban it. It doesn't have any issues, that's why I say we don't know what they used.'
The ban on 'Tetema' has sparked a debate in Tanzania, with many questioning the decision to ban the song.
