Wasafi TV, a Tanzanian privately owned television station run by popular pop singer Nasibu Abdul Juma or Diamond Platnumz, has been banned from broadcasting.
The Tanzanian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has banned local entertainment television Wasafi TV for six months for allegedly violating broadcasting rules during the Tumewasha festival.
- Kalungule said Wasafi TV violated the Communications and Broadcasting Rules.
- The ban comes just 7 months after TCRA banned Wasafi FM from broadcasting.
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Speaking to reporters at a conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, TCRA director Johannes Kalungule said the station had violated the law by broadcasting Gigy Money – a singer and a popular socialite – dancing half-naked – during a New Year’s party – the Tumewasha festival.
Kalungule said it was against the rules of communication and broadcasting and therefore the public should apologize for stopping the broadcast with immediate effect.
He said further legal action would be taken against the station if it failed to comply with the directive. According to him, the two parties met before the final decision.
“The singer has been summoned to appear before the regulatory authority in the past and has been repeatedly warned of violating the law and promised he will not commit the crime again,” the statement on Gigy Money said.
The New Year event, organized by Diamond Platnumz team, was held at Dodoma’s Jamhuri Stadium. It featured a large number of Kenyan actors and fans, including comedian Jasper Muthomi or MC Jessy.
In issuing the order, Kalungule said Wasafi TV violated the Communications and Broadcasting Rules, and therefore the action of the authority to stop the broadcast from taking effect immediately.
The station said it would follow the order and apologize, failing which further legal action would be taken.
The ban comes just seven months after TCRA banned Wasafi FM from broadcasting for seven days for the crime. The regulator faulted the station’s switch and mashups suppliers for using inappropriate language during the flight. In September 2020, another affiliate station owned by Tanzanian recording artist Diamond Platnumz was suspended for seven days for violating communication rules and broadcasting offensive content.
