Kenyan comedienne and activist Nasra Yusuff has publicly criticising top Tanzanian celebrities for remaining silent amid growing post-electoral unrest in their country.
Nasra accused some of East Africa’s most celebrated entertainers of prioritising their personal brands and musical careers over standing up for justice and solidarity with their fans.
In a Facebook post Nasra directly tagged several influential Tanzanian musicians, Diamond Platnumz, Alikiba, Zuchu, Rayvanny, Harmonize, Mbosso, Juma Jux, and Nandy calling them out for failing to speak up while ordinary citizens were reportedly suffering.
“Vijana ambao wanakuona kama role model wanalilia sasa hivi, wengi wao wameuwawa, wengi wao wanamajeraha ya risasi, huwezi kabisa kuzungumza na kuwapa sapoti shabiki zako ambao wamekuwa na wewe miaka hizi zote?” she wrote, questioning why artists continued to promote their music at such a tense time.
Nasra went on to challenge the relevance of promoting entertainment when the audience itself was in distress. “Target audience wanalilia, unpush iweze kusikizwa na nani hasa?” she asked, implying that staying silent in such moments betrays the fans who built their careers. Her statement concluded with a bold appeal: “Amkeni wasanii wa Tanzania, simameni na haki!” (“Wake up Tanzanian artists, stand for justice!”).
The comedian’s post came shortly after Diamond Platnumz was reported to have restored a previously deleted Instagram post supporting President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The image, shared by , showed a pictorial of Samia Suluhu , accompanied by the slogan “Chagua Ndg. Samia Suluhu Hassan Mgombea Urais Kupitia Chama Cha Mapinduzi.”
Diamond’s move to reinstate the post reignited public speculation about Tanzanian celebrities’ political allegiances and whether their silence was a deliberate attempt to avoid controversy. Many online users suggested that fear of government backlash or loss of endorsements may have contributed to the entertainers’ reluctance to speak out.
Nasra’s message, however, resonated with fans across East Africa. Many Kenyans applauded her for using her platform to hold regional stars accountable, while Tanzanian social media users were divided some defending their artists’ right to remain apolitical, others admitting that public figures should use their influence to amplify the voices of ordinary citizens.