Babu wa TikTok’s ban— Comedy of errors in Tanzania’s Online Regulatory Landscape

DAR ES SALAAM: OH, the world of TikTok, where trends move faster than your Wi-Fi on a bad day, and sometimes, you get slapped with a fine big enough to make your head spin.

On September 3, 2024, Tanzania’s very own TikTok sensation, Babu wa TikTok (or Seif Kassim Kisauji for those of us not keeping up with social media handles), found himself in deep trouble.

It seems Babu’s attempt to appeal an earlier punishment from BASATA (the National Arts Council of Tanzania) backfired spectacularly—imagine trying to get out of being grounded only to end up doing double chores!

Let’s rewind a bit.

The renowned musician and content creator, who’s become something of a household name for his online antics, was initially fined TZS 3 million and given a six-month ban from all artistic activities.

What could have caused such a harsh ruling?

Well, let’s just say some of the videos he shared wouldn’t exactly get a thumbs-up from the elders at family gatherings.

You know, the kind of content that would make your grandma gasp and say, “Hivi kweli ndivyo tulivyomlea huyu mtoto?” (Translation: “Is this how we raised this boy?”).

But Kisauji, being the internet-savvy elder statesman of TikTok that he is, wasn’t about to take the punishment lying down. He decided to appeal, hoping for some leniency.

Maybe he thought BASATA would let him off with a slap on the wrist, or at least a smaller fine.

Instead, it was more like, “Oh, you wanted mercy? How about we increase the fine to 5m/- and throw in a public apology for good measure?” Tough love, Tanzanian style!

Now, imagine being Kisauji at that moment—probably feeling like a teenager caught sneaking back home after curfew, thinking you’d get a pass but instead get denied of pocket money for the whole month.

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Dr Damas Ndumbaro, the no-nonsense Minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports, was the man behind the decision to up the ante.

With a straight face and perhaps a bit of “dad energy,” he made it clear: Kisauji wasn’t just going to pay; he was going to pay more and apologise like he really meant it.

In his defence, Kisauji did put on his best puppy eyes, admitting his misstep and asking for a little leniency.

But Ndumbaro, acting like that strict headteacher who lets you back in class after making you sweep the entire school, said, “Sure, you can come back. But you’re going to say sorry in public, and it’s going to cost you a lot more!”

Just when Kisauji thought things couldn’t get more complicated, entered Deputy Minister for Culture, Arts and Sports, Hamis Mwinjuma (better known as Mwana FA), the rapper-turned-politician.

Imagine having a seasoned rapper as your boss telling you: “Listen, my guy, maybe it’s time to go back to the kind of content that made you famous in the first place.”

You know, the good ol’ days of TikTok challenges and goofy filters instead of content that makes BASATA clutch their pearls in horror.

Mwana FA’s advice must have hit home because Kisauji immediately went into “Yes, sir!” mode, pledging to turn over a new leaf.

He not only promised to make ethical content moving forward— but also essentially agreeing to be the TikTok moral compass for all of Tanzania.

Hahaha! Who knew we’d end up in a world where TikTok stars are role models for proper behaviour?

But Kisauji’s saga isn’t just a TikTok Jua Kali-like episode.

His story is part of a larger debate about content creation in Tanzania, a country where internet access is expanding faster than a football pitch fills up for a Yanga vs Simba match.

By June 2024, Tanzania’s internet penetration hit a whopping 31.55 per cent, meaning a whole lot more people are online, posting videos, writing blogs and—yes—sometimes getting in trouble for it.

This brings us back to 2018 when the government introduced some pretty strict regulations aimed at taming what’s known as citizen journalism—basically when regular people start acting like real journalists online (smile).

These regulations, introduced by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), forced bloggers and small-time creators to register with them and follow strict content guidelines.

It was like telling everyone they had to wear school uniforms before they could post a selfie.

While this move may have been effective for traditional bloggers, the other side of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and, you guessed it, TikTok, went largely unregulated.

So, while bloggers were busy jumping through hoops and paying fees just to keep their content live, the social media giants were sipping data by the gallon, unhindered.

To illustrate this, let’s analyse the TCRA report presenting communication statistics for the third quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year.

The report then confirmed that YouTube is the leading social network in terms of viewership, with usage reaching 50,181,757 GB by March 2023.

The report also highlights that Facebook is the second-largest platform in terms of internet service usage, consuming over 49.5 million GB by the end of March 2023.

Following these guys were TikTok (33.5 million GB), WhatsApp (33.3 million GB), Instagram (15 million GB), HTTP (4.1 million GB), Twitter (1.4 million GB) and Snapchat (1.4 million GB).

Blogs fall into this HTTP thing that facilitates the transfer of various types of data, including text, images, videos and more, but it is the bloggers who are almost exclusively subject to strict regulations.

In other words, it is clear bloggers remain less active compared to other platforms that dominate the internet and attract large audiences yet operate without the restrictions they face.

It’s like showing up at a buffet only to be told you can’t eat until you’ve filled out ten forms and paid for a five-course meal upfront.

It’s like watching two kids in the same class—one’s stuck writing lines for detention, while the other is throwing a paper plane out the window and getting away with it.

And the irony? BASATA, the folks who slapped Babu wa TikTok with his hefty fine, don’t actually regulate social media!

They’re the watchdogs for artists, which is why they came down on Kisauji—not because he was using TikTok, but because he’s an artist who forgot that some things are better left offline.

Meanwhile, the rest of Tanzania’s social media creators continue dancing, lip-syncing and occasionally stepping on toes without much interference.

So, What’s next? A fair playing field, or more paperwork?

Well, if yu ask me, the reality is this: Tanzania’s digital landscape is a bit more like trying to play football on a pitch with one side covered in mud.  Sure, you can play, but someone’s always slipping up.

Mind you, I am not blaming BASATA or TCRA.  No, sir!  No! These guys are merely doing their jobs, as mandated by the law.

But with Babu wa TikTok as an example, the regulators are like Askaris guarding the ocean in Dar es salaam while the whole of Tanzania’s 1,424Km coastline is left unprotected.

In other words, the whole coast from Lindi to Tanga should be guarded indiscriminately!

That is, the legislators (Waheshimiwa Wabunge) who empower BASATA and TCRA to draw the regulations should make sure they apply equally across all digital platforms, big or small.

And make the legislation that guides the regulators to come up with something fairer and more practical.

Say, abolish the licensing fee thing altogether and come up with stringent regulations that would make social media creators toe the line whether they like it or not.

I mean all other countries have in place strict laws for whoever dares to be Babu wa TikTok online gets hit with them and not by regulations – that is for only a section of the creators.

The country’s regulations need a serious update, one that makes sense in today’s fast-moving, online world.

Instead of shackling bloggers with endless fees, why not scrap the licensing requirements and come up with clear, strict rules that apply to everyone—from TikTokers to Instagrammers to your cousin’s cat who has more followers than you?

It’s time to level the playing field.

Let’s make sure the next Babu wa TikTok isn’t just saying sorry, but leading the charge for more thoughtful, creative content across all platforms.

And with any luck, our new Minister for Information and MP for Ukonga, Hon Advocate Jerry Silaa, is reading this.

Why? Because if Tanzania is going to keep up with the online revolution, we’re going to need all hands on deck.