Tanzanian gospel veteran Bahati Bukuku has questioned the decision by fellow gospel singer Joel Lwaga to collaborate with Bongo Flava star Diamond Platnumz on the prayer-themed song Nikumbuke.
Speaking during an interview with East Africa Radio on Thursday, September 24, Bukuku said she personally would not work with a secular artiste, even on a gospel project. She said her position was guided by her spiritual convictions.
“Sidhani kama nuru na giza zinaenda sawa, siwezi fanya hivyo, mimi kwangu haipo, labda kwa watu wengine,” Bukuku said.
The veteran singer, however, stressed that she was expressing a personal view rather than condemning other artistes. She said musicians had the right to make their own choices and hold different views.
“Kila mtu ako na maamuzi yake, kila mtu ako na mtazamo wake. Kwa mimi mtazamo wangu, kwangu haipo,” she said, adding that her position was based on her spiritual perspective.
The comments came a day after Lwaga and Diamond released Nikumbuke, a song centred on prayer and the hope of being remembered and blessed by God. The collaboration has since opened a wider conversation about the relationship between gospel music and secular artistes in East Africa.
Lwaga celebrates early reception
Despite the criticism, Lwaga has highlighted the song’s strong early reception.
The gospel singer said Nikumbuke had crossed 500,000 YouTube views in less than 24 hours of its release. He also celebrated what he described as a No. 1 position across several platforms.
As of September 26, the song’s lyric video had recorded more than 770,000 views on YouTube, according to YouTube trend tracking data.
The contrasting reactions have placed the collaboration at the centre of a familiar debate in gospel music: whether artistes working across the gospel and secular divide can maintain the identity and message associated with their respective genres.
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