Diamond, Nandy and other Tanzanian artistes who have called for peace after deadly protests

The Tanzania general elections, which took place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, unfolded at the height of protests as citizens voiced deep frustrations with the government over a myriad of issues.

The protests were largely unexpected, and weeks before the elections, a trove of celebrated Tanzanian artistes were still actively campaigning for President Samia Suluhu, showering her with praises despite widespread concerns that the opposition had not been offered an equal opportunity to compete.

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So, when the protests broke out, artistes who had openly supported President Samia found themselves thrust into the eye of a storm, as citizens turned against them in a fierce online campaign that forced some of them to retreat from social media for a while.

At the same time, others, such as Diamond Platnumz, were compelled to wipe clean their social media pages of any content that had previously shown them endorsing President Samia Suluhu, while artistes like Billnass chose to deactivate their accounts altogether, as Tanzanians made good their threats to cancel artistes perceived to be siding with the ruling regime.

President Samia Suluhu was officially sworn in as the country’s president-elect on Monday, November 3, 2025, yet citizens across social media had not relented in their criticism of her administration, persistently demanding an official statement over the deaths reported during the protests.

During that period, no major artiste had yet come forward to publicly congratulate her, a sharp contrast from their earlier exuberant displays of affection and admiration.

However, as pressure continued to mount and the silence of the artistes grew increasingly deafening, several of them eventually stepped forward to issue heartfelt statements.

Below are some of those who have braved the social media backlash to express their thoughts and prayers.

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Diamond Platnumz

Wasafi Records CEO Diamond Platnumz was the first to break his silence after days of unrelenting pressure from fans who camped on his Instagram page, threatening to cancel him for failing to speak out in solidarity with Tanzanians.

In his statement, Diamond reflected on the sovereignty of God, saying that He remains the planner of all things, even in moments of tragedy.

He noted that the protests and their painful aftermath had unfolded under divine will, urging Tanzanians to find peace in God’s grand design.

He prayed for Tanzania to regain the peace it had long cherished and interceded for the souls of all those who had lost their lives, stating that nothing occurs outside the will of God and that every event serves a purpose that may later reveal a blessing to the nation.

“God is the planner of all things, and nothing happens without His will. Everything that happens has a reason. May He grant our nation a great blessing out of this, may He give us more peace than we had before, more love, unity, togetherness, and progress, and may He rest the souls of those who have departed in eternal peace,” he wrote.

Nandy

Billnass’s wife, singer Nandy, was among the earliest artistes to issue a statement following days of online backlash that had engulfed her social media pages.

It is worth noting that her husband, Billnass, was among those who suffered personal losses during the unrest after his shop was looted amid the chaos.

The incident compelled him to deactivate his Instagram account as critics continued to flood his posts with hostility.

In her statement, Nandy acknowledged reports indicating that many people had died during the protests.

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She expressed deep sorrow for the lives lost and said that her heart stood firmly with the bereaved families. She added that she was praying for peace to return to the nation and asked God to grant everyone the serenity of mind that Tanzania so desperately needed.

“I send my heartfelt condolences to all Tanzanian families who have lost their loved ones. May God comfort them, and may He grant us all wisdom, peace, and unity as a nation during this difficult time,” she said.

Lava Lava

Singer Lava Lava also joined those who spoke out.

On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, he issued a brief yet moving message, asking God to bless Tanzania abundantly and strengthen the hearts of all who had lost their loved ones in the protests.

He expressed sorrow for the grieving families and prayed for divine comfort to cover them like a healing balm.

“May God bless Tanzania, bless us all, and give strength to all of us who have lost our brothers and sisters. Amen,” he wrote.

Zuchu

Despite turning off comments on her page to avoid the torrent of insults, Diamond’s partner, Zuhura Othman, popularly known as Zuchu, also shared a statement on the unfolding tragedy.

Her message was a heartfelt prayer to God, asking that He protect the nation and restore the peace it once knew.

She expressed hope that Tanzania would soon return to its tranquil state and prayed that the Almighty grants the country lasting peace, unity, and love.

“Oh Lord, protect our nation. Grant it peace, unity, and love,” Zuchu wrote.

Rayvanny

Singer Raymond Shaban, better known as Rayvanny, also added his voice to those of fellow artistes who chose to break their silence and stand with Tanzanians mourning the deaths that occurred during the protests.

In a message he shared on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Rayvanny reminded his followers that Tanzanians have always been known as a peaceful people, describing peace as a divine gift that must be guarded with devotion.

He urged citizens to do everything within their power to preserve that precious gift and extended heartfelt condolences to all families who had lost their loved ones.

He also prayed that God would help the nation overcome the pain and continue to live in harmony, love, and peace.

“The pride of Tanzanians is unity and love. It is very important to protect the gift that God has given us since the beginning. I send my condolences to all the families and friends who have lost their loved ones. May God help us through this, and may we continue to live in love and peace because we are all brothers and sisters,” he said.