Can I be mistaken if I say the National Arts Council (Baraza la Sanaa Tanzania-BASATA) is killing artistic vision and freedom of expression, key planks in developing our performing artists?
I ask the above question because the council never upbraids those applauding government performance but is in arms against artists deemed renegades or avant-garde.
Anti-government or critical materials have always faced the council’s wrath, raising serious concerns: What are BASATA’s real functions?
I have no complaints against BASATA apprehending vulgar and explicit sex or pornographic materials being criticized. Still, interference with political content is doing a disservice to developing and evolving our artistic talent, vision and freedoms.
The council sounds like a political tool to filter what artistic material should be publicly shared. As it is currently constituted, artists have no role in the council’s policy direction.
Bureaucrats define and refine the content the artists should produce, interfering with their freedom to express themselves and the direction in which their talents should proceed.
Avant-garde such as Ney Wa Mitego and Roma Mkatoliki, among others, have seen their musical career interjected by BASATA, eager to placate the ruling party politicians who prefer to paint false narratives of a nation.
Such anti-establishment artists are popular and have attracted large attendances of youths who identify with the lyrics accompanying the songs played in the concerts.
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Pro-government artists have also released songs such as “Tanzania ya Magufuli” and others. Still, you will never hear BASATA summon such artists to their offices to face charges of gross misconduct. It looks like the council is there to ensure that the ruling party’s propaganda, not reality, is being aired.
Who does the council think is lying to? Do we not know the gospel truth ourselves even before the rebellious music hits the airwaves? Was it fabrication or touching on the sentiments of many?
The council may claim Ney Wa Mitego’s recently released song “NITASEMA” contained untruthful lyrics, but who is to judge the correctness of his content? Are artists duty-bound to tell the truth or express their heartfelt views?
When Zuchu called “Tanzania Ya Sasa,” was she telling the truth or lying? When did Tanzania become Magufuli’s? But BASATA did not reprimand Zuchu for lying or inciting.
BASATA claims Ney Wa Mitego song “NITASEMA” was inciting, but in what ways? Wasn’t the song questioning government policy and expressing disgruntlement? What is wrong with whining about handing over prime assets to aliens?
Is it not true that the country is being auctioned to the lowest bidder? What is wrong with lamenting the underemployed and jobless? Are these not the harsh realities in Tanzania?
The council is keen to project lies, but who are the beneficiaries? How can Tanzanian music and other artists advance their careers if they teethers their artistic vision and expression?
I have been wondering why Tanzanian artists are stagnating, and now I have no doubt this council is stunting their talents. Censorship to benefit the rulers in power while throttling local talent is what BASATA is all about.
They do not care about talent development but appease the rulers of the day so that they may keep their jobs.
Strangely, once content has been uploaded to the Internet, there is no way to retrieve it because it is already downloaded in a matter of seconds. Downloaders who most likely have ghost accounts re-upload the same content on their digital pages, where the short arm of BASATA cannot assail.
My question to BASATA: What is the rationale behind asking an artist to delete their work? Are you unaware of how futile this is in the digital age, or is it simply to appease your tech-unsavvy superiors?
Another angle is that an artist is a citizen and must evaluate the government’s performance in power. Can BASATA deprive us of the constitutional right to determine this nation’s destiny?
Can we not shout out aloud if we are unhappy with the direction the country is taking? Can we not weep over police extrajudicial activities threatening our freedoms and the right to live? Is the council now a sieve to muzzle our feelings and perceptions?
Should the council wish us to join an avalanche of sycophants infamous for rolling in the ground and covering themselves with dirt while congratulating the government on projects whose cost-benefit ratio is conspicuously on the wayside?
By promoting lies, is this what BASATA is all about? The cost of censorship remains underestimated but kills and undermines creativity and audacity.
Artists become fearful of authorities, and their imagination and swagger peter off. By hassling blossoming talent, BASATA spells a curse on it.
Our politicians always brag they are our servants but seldom understand that a servant is humble enough to tolerate criticism. A servant does not do things which undermine their employers.
A servant does not set an insane salary for himself but creates an independent institution to determine what every public servant is to be paid. A servant does not apportion large public assets to himself but meekly resists such lusts.
I see the council crying out aloud for fundamental reforms that will remove it from political decision-making and endear it to its major stakeholders. We need to see the council board of directors, entirely composed of artists.
Until then, artistic vision and freedoms of expression will continue to be reviled, persecuted, and vilified, diminishing the quality of the content our bubbling artists are capable of producing.
