Ezekiel Mutua drops shocker on Sauti Sol’s Suzanna hit
A concerned Kenyan has had a request to ban Sauti Sol’s hit song, Suzanna, denied by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB).
The individual wrote a letter to one of the local dailies explaining that the song was unfit to be played in public, suggesting that the meaning behind Senje as used in the song had been corrupted and that the group intended to promote vices such as incest. The complainant asked the board to act against the song.
“Senje is Luhya for aunt – the sister of your father. How then can it be that a nephew and his aunt have a relationship?” the complainant posed.
The writer added that to fall in love with your father’s sister is unheard of, incestuous, an abomination and illegal.
Mutua now says he submitted it for review by the board.
However, after a thorough review of the song, KFCB gave the song a clean bill of health saying the song meant much more than what the petitioner, in this case, claims to know.
“The Board’s Broadcast Monitoring team has analysed the song and given it a clean bill of health on grounds that it has no classifiable elements and is therefore rated GE (General Exhibition) meaning that it’s suitable for viewers of all ages.
This complaint was brought to our attention this morning. It's in regard to a song by @sautisol. I submitted it to our Broadcast Monitoring team for analysis and it has been given a clean bill of health and rated as GE (General Exhibition), i.e suitable for all family viewing. pic.twitter.com/NVZtNca2JI
— Dr. Ezekiel Mutua, MBS (@EzekielMutua) April 27, 2020
The Board said the song’s lyrics are not in contravention of the board’s classification guidelines. The group responded with a tinge of sarcasm.
These streets ain't safe no more ? https://t.co/S8N2nFkOZo
— SAUTI SOL (@sautisol) April 27, 2020
The song, according to KFCB, has no classifiable elements and is thus rated GE, meaning it’s suitable for viewers of all ages.
In the song, Sauti Sol sing about Suzanna, also the title of the song, and is ridiculed for her love of sponsors (sugar daddies), travelling to exquisite destinations and owning expensive items.
She portrays an image of the current generational issues and the extremes and risks that young men and women will withstand in order to afford a luxurious lifestyle, which more often than not will be financed by older men or older women.
The lyrics also discourage men and women against being materialistic and instead the personality and traits are important when it comes to choosing a partner and encouraged to accept herself and leave the lavish life.