Tanzanian rapper Emmanuel Elibariki aka Nay Wa Mitego ruffled some people’s feathers after he made a veiled attack on Kenya.
Without mentioning names, the Bongo rapper attacked a certain country whose description has all the hallmarks of Kenya.
In his song ‘Wapi Huko’, Nay Wa Mitego criticized the country’s poor leadership which he blamed for corruption, hunger and lack of employment opportunities for its youth.
However, in a statement on January 30, 2024, the Bongo rapper clarified that he did not mention any specific country in his song after some Kenyans went after him in the comment section on YouTube.
“Wimba wangu mpya ‘Wapi Huko’ sijataja jina la nchi yoyote but jirani zetu Kenya naona wameamua kuuchua huu wimbo na kusema ni wao yani nimewaimba wao kufatana hali ya maisha ya nchi yao. Kwa asilimia 90 naona comments nyingi sana za Wakenya tangu jana mpaka ivi sasa pale YouTube na kwenye page za media na wadau kadhaa nchini Kenya,” Nay Wa Mitego said.
The Tanzanian rapper further invited suggestions from Kenyans about why they think his song targeted the country.
“Ebu Niambie Leo Wewe Unadhani Naizungumzia Nchi Gani.?! Tumalize Utata… Kama Ni Mkenya Sema Na Unipe Fact Kadhaa Kwa Huu Wimbo Umeimba Yangu, Na Kwa Watanzania Pia Ni Ivyo Kama Unaosema Ni Tanzania Nipe Fact Zako Kadhaa, Na Congo Pia Vile Vile… Nasoma Comments Zote Haya Twende……” Nay said.
The song
Nay Wa Mitego’s song premiered on YouTube on January 25, 2024.
In his song, the Tanzanian rapper noted that the anonymous country looks prosperous in the eyes of the rest of the world while its citizens are really suffering.
He observed that the country’s youth are languishing in poverty and its girls are now more into money than love (note the recent murders in short-stay apartments where the victims were enticed by money by their killers).
Nay Wa Mitego also noted that young men in the unnamed country are into sugar mummies.
He said that people in that country speak fluent English and brag that their nation is superior to their neighbours, yet they have been grappling with power outages of late.
Below are the full lyrics for the song and the video.
Raisi! The street president
Oya niaje wanangu mlinimiss?
Nilisafiri kidogo ughaibuini
Aaah uarabuni eeh
Ah ni ughaibuni
Nipo serious ebu punguza ukatuni
Huko nilipotoka bwana ni cha kipekee
Vyakula bei juu, ila pombe ndo bei chee
Hio nchi bwana uchumi wao ni tafrani
Muda wa kazi umeme haupatikani
Soka lao limechanganywa na siasa limechoka
Mashabiki sasa ndo wajuaji kuliko kocha
Ni rahisi kupata ngono kuliko chakula
Kuna wasomi wengi hakuna ajira wanazurura
Hio nchi bana kuna watu maarufu
Mastaa kuna wa kike na wa kiume
Mastaa wa kike sura nzuri tabia ni paka shume
Asilimia tisini kazi yao wanajiuza
Mastaa wa kiume ni waongo wewe
Wabongo wakasome
Fake life mitandaoni wanaishi kifalme
Na huko ni matajiri wanaishi kifahari
Maisha yao hao halisi, wana njaa kali
Tembea uone watu wako serios
Kuna madem huko wapo very fast
Unamtongoza leo na gesi inaisha leo
Kabla hujakaa vizuri na kodi imeisha leo
Mara ooh baby mchezo mwenzio sijalipa leo
Hio nchi nimeona mengi na yote nitasema leo
Bora sisi tuna afadhali kuliko wao
Aah wee! Wapi huko?
Wananchi hawasikilizwi wanalia na Mungu wao
Aah wee! Wapi huko?
Uchawa na kubeti kwa vijana huko ndo ajira yao
Aah wee! Wapi huko?
Masingle mother kibao
Utadhani labda ndio mila zao
Hio nchi bana ina vituko vingi
Wazee wa busara ndo wanatembea na mabinti
Vijana nao wanalelewa na mashangazi
Ganda la ndizi hawataki kufanya kazi
Kuna mabinti wasomi na wanategemea uchi
Hapendwi mtu huko linapendwa pochi
Wasanii wote ni chawa wa serikali
Kasoro mmoja tu nae anapigwa vita vikali
Kila siku polisi kisa kusemea wananchi
Sikufichi hio nchi hutoboi bila ubishi
Wananchi wanalalamika naye Rais analalamika
Wote mwizi wanamjua ila wanaogopa kumshika
Hio nchi, mi naiita nchi ya utata
Elimu yao ni utata
Ukiwa na elimu kupata kazi ni utata
Aah, kupata kazi connection
Na kuipata connection ni utata
Viongozi wao matajiri utata
Ila mlo mmoja kwa wananchi ni utata
Gharama za maisha ni utata
Ila nauli zao ni zaidi ya utata
Huko dollar inauzwa ila kuipata ni utata
Tembea uone watu wako serios
Kuna madem huko wapo very fast
Unamtongoza leo na gesi inaisha leo
Kabla hujakaa vizuri na kodi imeisha leo
Mara ooh baby mchezo mwenzio sijalipa leo
Hio nchi nimeona mengi na yote nitasema leo
Bora sisi tuna afadhali kuliko wao
Aah wee! Wapi huko?
Wananchi hawasikilizwi wanalia na Mungu wao
Aah wee! Wapi huko?
Uchawa na kubeti kwa vijana huko ndo ajira yao
Aah wee! Wapi huko?
Masingle mother kibao
Utadhani labda ndio mila zao
Controversies
Nay Wa Mitego is a very controversial musician even in his home country Tanzania.
He has had multiple brushes with authorities in his native nation for speaking the truth to power.
In November 2022, Nay went underground after dropping the song ‘Sauti Ya Watu’ which criticizes the government of President Samia Suluhu.
In the song, Nay makes a strong attack on the government of President Suluhu even though he starts by apologizing to her because he knows he would offend her in the message in the song.
The rapper was in September 2023 banned from performing in Tanzania due to another song ‘Amkeni’ which is critical of the government.
The musician’s lawyer Jebra Kambole in an interview with BBC said the rapper had been gagged by BASATA (Baraza la Sanaa Tanzania).
“Moja kuna kinachoendelea BASATA na kituo cha Polisi Kati Dar es Salaam. BASATA wana malalamiko wakisema wimbo alioutunga (Amkeni) unaonekana una maneno ya uchochezi, lakini sio hilo tu, wameufungia wimbo wenyewe na wamemkataza kufanya matamasha kwenye maeneo mbalimbali ndani ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania,” Kambole said.
“Kinachoendelea Polisi ni kwamba jana aliitwa akipewa tuhuma kuhusiana na wimbo huo huo (Amkeni), ambao unaonekana una mashairi ambayo wao wanadhani kwamba ni ya uchochezi, tulitoa maelezo ya kwanini tunaona kwamba sio ya uchochezi na tukawaachia Polisi wafanye kazi yao,” he added.
