The highly anticipated Furaha City Festival in Nairobi on Saturday, December 7 left thousands of fans disappointed after headline act Diamond Platnumz failed to perform. The festival organized by Baraza Lab was billed as one of the biggest music events of the year, promising a night of stellar performances by top East African artists.
A Promising Lineup
The Furaha City Festival lineup featured prominent artists from Kenya and Tanzania, including Zuchu, Rayvanny, Khaligraph Jones, Willy Paul, Mejja, Ssaru, and Femi One. The event began on a high note, with artists delivering memorable performances.
Minutes past 2 a.m., Zuchu energized the crowd before handing over to Rayvanny, setting the stage for what was expected to be Diamond Platnumz’s grand performance.
However, as the audience eagerly waited, confusion ensued, with sections of the crowd chanting “Pozze,” calling for Kenyan artist Willy Paul to perform.
Willy Paul Criticizes Organizers
After the period of confusion, Willy Paul took the stage, delivering a fairly electrifying performance.
While his performance was well-received, Willy Paul used the moment to call out the event organizers, accusing them of sidelining Kenyan artists in favor of Tanzanian acts.
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“I want to tell the event organizers that charity begins at home, ” he said, adding that Kenyan artists were being sabotaged.
Fans were still hopeful for Diamond Platnumz. However, after Willy Paul left the stage, there was no sign of the Tanzanian star. Instead, MCs tried to maintain the energy with dance interludes and mix of Kenyan songs, leaving fans frustrated and unsure of what was happening.
Furaha City Festival Disappointing Conclusion
Dr. Ofweneke made a brief late appearance, trying to lift spirits and prepare the audience for what seemed like an eventual Diamond Platnumz performance.
The night’s confusion came to an abrupt end when the stage lights dimmed, and screens displayed the message “Tuende Home” (Let’s go home), officially closing the event without any explanation for Diamond Platnumz’s absence. The move sparked outrage among fans, many of whom took to social media to express their disappointment and demand accountability from the organizers.
Etana Cancels Show Amid Sabotage Allegations
Adding to the night’s drama, Jamaican reggae artist Etana also canceled her scheduled performance at a different event in Nairobi. In a statement, Etana alleged that her show was sabotaged due to its overlap with the Furaha City Festival, where Diamond Platnumz was slated to perform.
“My show was planned long before someone decided to overlap with a competing event featuring Diamond Platnumz. This kind of sabotage is unacceptable,” Etana said.
The Jamaican artist’s show which was supposed to take place in the same vicinity as the Furaha City Festival, was called off hours before it began, with authorities warning that the two events could not take place at the same time, as both were happening at same location.
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