Singer Diamond Pockets Sh11 Million for a 10-minute Performance at Raila’s Final Rally

Celebrated Tanzanian singer Naseeb Abdul Juma, popularly known as Diamond Platnumz, pocketed millions of shillings for his performance at the final Azimio La Umoja campaign rally at Kasarani stadium on Saturday, it has emerged.

Nation reports that Diamond was in South Africa to attend the sixth birthday of his daughter Princess Tiffah when he received a call requiring him to perform at the rally where Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga made his last submission to Kenyans ahead of Tuesday’s elections.

The Bongo Flava superstar landed in Nairobi from South Africa on the same day abroad a private jet and proceeded to Kasarani where he pulled off an electrifying 10-minute performance.

He first performed his 2019 hit ‘Baba Lao’, with the lyrics twisted a little in praise of Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua. "Martha Mama Lao, Raila Baba Lao…" he sang.

Diamond went on to give a brief speech, publicly endorsing Odinga’s State House bid and urged Kenyans to turn out in large numbers and vote for him.

“Baba, nataka nikuambie vijana wanakuamini sana, nchi inakuamini sana na wewe ndio rais wetu unayefuata,” he said.

Nation says it has established that the ‘Jeje’ hitmaker was paid a whopping $100,000 (Sh11.9 million), which is more than the normal $70,000 (Sh8.2 million) he charges for an hour show outside Tanzania. The money was reportedly paid by an unidentified Tanzanian tycoon.

“Kindly this is off the record, but the conversation to have Diamond perform at Raila’s rally had been in the pipeline for three weeks. The performance was actually sponsored by a tycoon in Tanzania, I am not sure if the tycoon is a businessman or a politician but clearly it seems it's someone well known to Azimio's principals. However, what I’m sure of is that Diamond was paid $100,000 for the Kasarani performance,” a source privy to the plans disclosed to Nation.