In Muziki Wa Samia, Harmonize tries to persuade listeners that the current Tanzanian political leadership has been a perfect tenure. The album’s lyrical content covers themes like infrastructure, labour, free education, accessible healthcare and gender, all packaged to applaud the positive contributions of Tanzanian leadership towards the country’s development. Word choices that create imagery around work and building are used repeatedly and physical elements like roads, planes and new builds are referenced. In ‘Mama Anajenga’, the Tanzanian artist illustrates what he considers an unquestionable development, and this undeniability is punctuated with lyrics like: ‘Wenye macho wanashuhudia, hatua tunazofikia’ (those with eyes can witness, the steps we have reached). In the track ‘Kazi Iendelee’, whose title is pulled from President Hassan’s official slogan, he sings, ‘Maendeleo tukiyahitaji, kuchapa kazi ndo iwe mtaji.’ (If we need development, labour is the capital). He goes on to sing, ‘Tuchape Kazi, Tusonge Mbele’ (Let’s do the work, let’s move forward).  

While Tanzania undoubtedly enjoys tangible infrastructural developments including the new builds and bridges referenced in ‘Mama Anajenga’ as a measure of economic growth, there has not been a significant improvement in the quality of life for the majority of Tanzania’s population. In fact, the bottom 50 per cent of the country’s 67-million-population continue to take home far less of the national income share (in 2000 it was 14.6 per cent and in 2022 it was 13 per cent) while the top 10 per cent of the country’s population enjoy a greater slice (in 2000 it was 45.4 per cent and in 2022 it was 51.4 per cent).  

Tanzania is a young country; over 70 per cent of the current population is under 30 years old, most of whom are experiencing the impact of an unrelenting unemployment crisis. Youth participation rate in the labour force has been on a steady decline for the last decade; out of 1 million youth entering the labour market, only about 60,000 are able to secure employment. It is unclear whether Harmonize’s suggestion that work ethic is the missing ingredient speaks solely to the population’s work ethic (as opposed to the government’s). What is clear, however, is that he does not mention how structural factors like the education system, an over-reliance on the formal sector and a lack of credit initiatives are thwarting employment opportunities for young people. When confronted with these structural challenges, the head of state has opined that it is not the government’s duty to create jobs for youth, rather their duty is to foster an enabling environment for self-employment. In a speech given in January 2023 to celebrate the 59th Anniversary of Zanzibar’s Revolution, President Hassan said: ‘What we are doing is to create a conducive environment for you to create jobs. Create jobs by using the existing environment.’

Another standout theme in the project is the president being described as a mother figure. President Hassan, affectionately dubbed ‘Mama Samia’ early in her term, has cozied into this persona. The track ‘Samia Tena’ features an audio clip from a speech from the president herself affirming this position of motherhood as she says: ‘hakuna kundi, wote ni watoto wangu, wote nalea’ (there is no favouritism, they are all my children, I raise them all).  

The Tanzanian artist is spot on in the use of the mother archetype to describe President Hassan. At first, her ascension in March 2021 indeed came with hope. The maternal archetype that Harmonize refers to in his album was used to foster this sense of healing and renewal in a country that had just experienced the polarizing leadership of the late President Magufuli. In an article published in The Conversation right after she was sworn in, President Hassan is purported to have a reconciliatory quality to her leadership both domestically with alienated opposition leaders, as well as internationally by repairing diplomatic relations between Tanzania and other countries. But it did not take long for opinions to shift. Some, like Tanzanian lawyer and human rights advocate Fatma Karume, even argued that the nurturing archetype quickly morphed into that of a wicked stepmother as quickly as a year in. Three years into her tenure, opinions are still mixed. Her leadership has won some people over; reversing the regressive ban on opposition political rallies and attendance for pregnant schoolgirls, and welcoming foreign investment were some of the choices that have garnered praise. But there is still palpable scepticism. An increase in cases of police brutality has recently put her leadership under fire with reports of police stations being used as torture chambers and abuse of power. Also, the arrests of leaders of the opposition party, Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), including lawyer and party member, Tendu Lissu, and party secretary general, John Mnyika, during a banned youth rally in August 2024. There were also reports of police misconduct again during a failed protest in September, that was sparked by the kidnappings and murders including the case of CHADEMA member Ali Kibao that led to the arrest of CHADEMA national chairman, Freeman Mbowe. Further, it’s interesting that Harmonize positions the president’s leadership as one that swiftly executes because the stalemate of the constitution review is perhaps the biggest and most enduring point of critique for her.  

In Samia Tena, Harmonize sings of the president’s unforeseen ascension; ‘…uraisi hakuomba wala hakufikiria,’ (…she did not ask for the presidency nor did it cross her mind). He also sings, ‘Aliopewa na Mungu, Hawezi Nyanga’nywa kwa rungu’ (That which is given by God, cannot be snatched by force). These lyrics situate the president’s ascension as somehow both serendipitous and divinely ordained. While the context of the passing of the late President Magufuli was unforeseen, it is curious to view Hassan’s rise to the presidency as heroic, instead of an obligation that she herself welcomed readily. To imply otherwise seems not only condescending to the ambitions that got her in the political arena in the first place but also excuses her from being held accountable for the choices she makes in her term. Harmonize’s framing of her rise to the presidency should invite us to think about how much of the president’s perceived power is blunted by the framing of her leadership through gendered notions like the maternal archetype that she frequently leans on. Our view of her as a ‘mother’ and the projections that come with it might be clouding the fact that she is indeed a public servant with utmost power.  

A glance in the comment section under the Instagram post announcing the album reveals that the most recurring fan reaction to Muziki Wa Samia was confusion. Some were not sure how a political album fit in with the rest of the artist’s discography, playfully chiming that a Grammy award would remain a pipe dream. Others were confused over his absolute praise of the government with one comment even insinuating that it might have been a commissioned project, which would not be unheard of. An ensemble named ‘Samia Queens’ consisting of women music artists including Zuchu, Nandy, Aby Chams, and Maua Sama and more, formed through the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM)’s United Women’s Association of Tanzania. In March 2024, they released a song titled ‘Wanawake Moto’, praising the efforts of women and President Hassan on her administration so far.  

In another Instagram post where Harmonize looks to be in a convoy with the president, the comment section is full of fans who are decidedly disappointed. While there are no official reports of the artist being paid to release this album, a user citing his proximity to the president suggested that he might be a ‘chawa’, a colloquial term for an individual who makes a living out of fervently praising celebrities or leaders.