Tanzanian Bongo Fleva artist Ibrahim Musa aka Roma Mkatoliki is missing after allegedly being arrested this morning in the commercial capital Dar es salaam.
He was reportedly picked up at a recording studio in the city, along with his producer.
Other reports say that recording equipment was also confiscated.
People have been sharing the news on Twitter:
Family members of the two say they have visited police stations in the city but they have not been able to trace them.
Joff Msumule, a colleague of the missing producer, says the police were likely looking for evidence to incriminate the musician:
I was not around, but I’m told there was a song that was produced but it doesn’t carry a very good message for the government.
That song was not recorded at Tongo studio, but the artiste used the studio’s logo. This therefore implies that we are the ones who produced the song. So, the policemen came to collect some evidence.”
Joseph Mbilinyi, a former artist, who is currently an MP, raised the issue in parliament by alleging that the government was using secret agents to arrest people.
The news comes weeks after another Bongo Fleva artist Ney wa Mitego was arrested for a song decrying the shrinking space for freedom of expression, which was deemed to be insulting to President John Magufuli’s government.
He was later released following a public outcry but he was told to improve the song to include other ills that affect Tanzanians.
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