Savara highlights fragility of celebrity influence in politically charged moments

Tanzanian entertainers who openly backed President Samia Suluhu Hassan in the recently concluded election are now facing severe public retaliation.

Several artists lost long-time supporters, some had their property vandalised, and many are battling relentless trolling across social platforms.

The backlash ignited debate over whether celebrities should take political positions and how far public anger should go.

Musician Savara Mudigi, speaking on Alex Mwakideu’s podcast, offered a sober, cautionary view of the situation, reflecting on the delicate balance artists must strike between influence, honesty and survival.

Savara began by addressing the pressure that comes with being a public figure, noting that influence is never a passive responsibility.

He explained that there comes a time in a generation where the truth has to prevail, a moment that forces artists to choose what they stand for. According to him, fame is not just about visibility but about purpose.

“There comes a time where your gift shall be tested… the gift that God gave you to influence a whole generation. Are you with the people or with yourself?”

Even as he spoke about the responsibility of public figures, Savara was careful not to overanalyse Tanzania’s situation.

“I wouldn’t want so much to speak on the political situation there because I don’t live there,” he noted, pointing out that different countries have different systems that determine what entertainers can or cannot say.

By taking this stance, he subtly highlighted something many fans miss: in some political environments, silence is not cowardice, it is survival.

Savara acknowledged that citizens’ frustration is valid, especially during contentious political seasons. However, he warned that public reaction can quickly turn harmful.

“Energy sometimes is misguided. Politics is a serious thing, bro, you don’t play with that,” he said.

His warning comes at a time when Tanzanian entertainers who supported Suluhu are being branded traitors, opportunists or sell-outs.

To drive his point home, Savara shared a personal experience from Kenya during a tense protest period. He posted a simple message expressing sorrow: “A very sad day for Kenya.”

What followed shocked him.

Within hours, hundreds of comments and quote tweets accused him of taking sides or making a political statement he insists he never intended.

“Three hours down the line… 500 tweets. Then another hour, 1,000 tweets,” he recalled.

The negative barrage escalated to the point where he felt overwhelmed.

“They let a negative political energy into my life,” he said. “I had to delete the post.”

Savara ended his reflection with a strong caution: political discourse is powerful and unpredictable, especially when entertainers enter the conversation.