Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) Chief Executive, Ezekiel Mutua, on Friday, November 1, picked a new war with controversial music group Ethic Entertainment.
Mutua took to social media to tear into the group's new hit Tarimbo, stating that it promoted violence against women.
The KFCB boss announced that he had sought for Google's and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation's intervention.
"I have spoken to Google to take down the song Tarimbo by Ethic Entertainment which advocates for the rape of women. Promoting violence against women is criminal.
"The DCI should arrest them, under Article 33, for going beyond the prescribed delimitations on freedom of expression by advocating for violence against women," Mutua posted.
He further reiterated his stance in his war against the boy band, reminding Kenyans how they defended another music group, Sailor's Gang, when he banned their first hit Wamlambez.
"When we banned Wamlambez people slammed us for thwarting creativity. I asked the group if they could shout the phrase before their mothers and they blatantly agreed, baffling me.
"These so-called musicians and performers have defied everything decent societies holds dear. They have thrown morality to the four winds in the name of money and popularity," Mutua launched an insult-laden attack which had to be censored.
He was further irked with clubs and disc jockeys who promoted Ethic's content.
"My interpretation of Wamlambez and Tarimbo is that these are not artists. They are demented circus thugs hiding behind the art to promote indecency. Any self-respecting DJ should not play these songs. No club should allow music that advocates for violence against women.
"Unless decent people rise against the wave of immorality in Kenya, we are going to lose a generation in the name of creative freedom. No freedom is absolute. This time round we must draw the line!" Mutua ranted.
While speaking with Kenyans.co.ke on phone, Mutua rallied Kenyans to support his stance towards bringing sanity to the music industry. He defended his choice to call upon the intervention of DCI and Google, unlike the previous times when he acted independently.
"We will pick it up on Monday. Law and order is enforced by the police and DCI. These petitions are also going directly to them. Our work is to provide them with our analysis in terms of rating. You do not need to produce a raunchy song so as to sell it.
"We don't have the powers to prosecute, that's the work of the DCI. It would be done but there are procedures for it. The other times I banned songs on the basis of them promoting pornography. There are laws that govern pornography and its an individuals choice to watch pornography. However, promoting violence against women is not guaranteed," Mutua argued.
In October 2019, Mutua also picked a fight with Citizen TV over its Friday night show 10 Over 10 and its host Willis Raburu over what he termed as filthy and immoral content. He expressed concern and claimed his hands were tied as he could not ban the show because it aired outside the watershed period of between 5 am and 10 pm.
