Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed rapper Mwana FA as Deputy Minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports.
As per Citizen Tanzania, State House Permanent Secretary, Dr Moses Kusiluka appointed Mwana FA to the role as replacement for Pauline Gekul, who’s been appointed deputy minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs.
The rapper, whose real name is Hamis Mohammed Mwinjuma, and doubles up as a member of Parliament for Muheza constituency holds a master’s degree in finance from Coventry University, England.
Mwana FA is hailed by his countrymen as a legendary musician famous for hit songs like ‘We Endelea Tu’, and ‘Unanijua Unainiskia’.
He has been praised for exuding great leadership and talent to become a beacon for Tanzanian musicians and youth.
Mwana FA joins a growing list of musicians in East Africa to transition into politics.
Others are Kenyan musician Jaguar, who gained recognition as the first musician in Kenya to win a parliamentary seat.
Jaguar won the Starehe seat in 2017 and his stint in Parliament was mirrored with controversy as he once fought fellow legislator Babu owino within the house premises and was also arrested for suggesting that Tanzanian traders were not welcome in Kenya.
Another musician turned politician is Kenyan rapper Jackson Ngechu Makini, better known by his stage name CMB Prezzo who unsuccessfully contested for the Kibra Parliamentary seat on a Wiper party in 2019.
In Uganda, singer Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has transformed into a household name since contesting against President Yoweri Museveni in the 2021 general elections.
