Award-winning and popular Tanzanian musician Diamond Platinumz has been reported to be in police custody for posting an “immoral content” on social media. The Bongo singer posted a raunchy video with two women on Instagram to get back to his ex-wife Zari after exposing him to child neglect.
According to information disclosed to newsmen by Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe, the Tanzanian Minister of Information, Arts, Culture, and Sports today, reported that Nasir Abdul, who’s popularly known as Diamond Platinumz was reportedly arrested for violating the newly ed Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Act.
However, the new law ed by Tanzanian government aims to curb the moral decadence caused by social media and regulate activities of online content providers in Tanzanian including bloggers.
In the law signed last month, online content providers are required to operate according to rules set by the Tanzanian Communications Regulations Authority (TCRA). They are also required to apply for licenses and pay annual regulatory fees. The law also prescribes a punishment for posters of indecent content on social media and it appears that the government is using Diamond Platinumz as a scapegoat.
The Tanzanian government is not the first in Africa to regulate the digital space. Several African countries including Ethiopia, South Africa, and Gabon have in the past shut down or restricted the internet in order to “curb fake news” and in many cases, for political reasons.
In 2015, the Nigerian Senate proposed an anti-social media bill to regulate the use of social media in Nigeria. Following outcries by Nigerians, the bill was eventually dropped.
However, the case of Diamond Platinum’s alleged arrest is a first. People have been arrested for inciting political unrest on social media but never for posting decadent content. It is obvious that the Tanzanian government really means business with keeping social media in the country clean.
Report Credit: TechPoint.ng
