Kenyan musician Tom Mboya Gaga, alias Atommy Sifa, has revealed intricate details of his relationship with the late Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli.
Sifa is a Benga artiste who is popular for Luo songs such as Bible Love and Pain Killer, both of which have amassed over 500,000 views on Youtube.
Speaking to KTN News, Sifa revealed that he received a cheque of Ksh6 million from the fallen hero as a form of gratitude after he released a song in praise of the Head of State.
The artist released a song in praise of the late president dubbed, Rais John Pombe Magufuli praising him for his work ethic and his stance in the fight against corruption, and promoting the rights of the common man.
The song, Sifa says, was composed during the campaign period in Tanzania in 2020 when Magufuli was seeking reelection for another five-year term.
"I took the work to Magufuli's Chama Cha Mapinduzi party offices and tried to access local radio stations to promote it. It was soon accepted and the wave swept even Magufuli himself," he stated.
Pleased with the work, Magufuli asked the Kenyan artist to perform the song at his hotel in Chato village. This presented a chance for the artiste to meet with the Head of State.
"We had a short chat, and he told me he was impressed with my work, pledging to reward me," he stated.
Days later, Sifa acknowledged that he received a cheque from Magufuli of Ksh6 million, with the promise of another session with him.
Sifa moved back to Kenya where he built a house and Rock City Jungle Resort in Homa Bay County - which opened its doors five months ago.
He says he is in touch with Magufuli's agents and authorities in Tanzania to facilitate him in getting a pass to attend Magufuli's burial on Friday, March 26.
The Kenyan artist made headlines during the 2017 General elections after he composed a campaign song in praise of President Uhuru Kenyatta, and pushing for his reelection.
His song, he claims, was however seen as a direct attack on the Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga - from whose backyard the musician hails.
The ensuing fracas, claims Sifa, saw him flee to Tanzania for refuge, which is where he released another song entitled Pole Baba (I'm sorry Raila), to help restore his relationship with Raila's supporters.
