What is troubling Rose Muhando?

Gospel singer Rose Muhando entertains her fans at the KICC in a past event. She wants to move to Kenya for good in search of “peace and happiness”. PHOTO | DENNIS OKEYO

“Utamu wa Yesu” hit maker Rose Muhando is in trouble. So much so that she is considering abandoning her motherland Tanzania for Kenya. She wants to move here for good in search of “peace and happiness”.

Over the last three years, Muhando has been hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons, with all kinds of controversies, ranging from drug abuse, abortion and sexual harassment to shady business deals and death threats among others, rather than for her music that catapulted her to fame in 2003.

Speaking to Nation.co.ke on Thursday, the once energetic performer, who started her musical career that has now crumbled as a choir teacher, confirmed that she is making the big move to Kenya. 

In a shaky voice devoid of the energy and enthusiasm that punctuate most of her songs like “Nibebe” and “Utamu wa Yesu”, Muhando said she has been left with no choice but to move to Kenya for good in an effort to escape her problems, especially the death threats.

“Kweli nahamia Kenya kabisa. Nimechoka kuishi maisha ya mashaka, kutishiwa maisha. Sina raha kabisa, sina amani hata mbingu zinajua” (Yes, it is true that I am relocating to Kenya for good. I am tired of living a life full of doubt and worry, full of death threats. I am so unhappy and I do not have peace, even the heavens know that.)...,” she said before disconnecting the call and switching off her phone.

Tanzania’s popular gospel musician Rose Muhando belting out a tune in her heyday. PHOTO | FILE

DEATH THREATS

Tanzanian newspaper Ijumaa Wikienda interviewed her on Monday and quotes her as having said she had recently received death threats from a bishop who she said has been sexually harassing her and wants her to give in to his sex demands or he would take her out.

In the interview, Muhando claims the bishop wants sexual favours as repayment for helping her out financially with her music career.

The musician claims that her efforts to report the bishop to security authorities have been futile because the man of the cloth is well connected politically, besides being wealthy.

It couldn’t be immediately confirmed if this is the same bishop who in April was reported to be looking to take her to rehab when she disappeared from her Ipagala residence in Dodoma.

The singer recently relocated from Dar es Salaam to her home town of Dodoma.

Time and again, Muhando has denied claims that she is abusing drugs, something that many speculate has led to the decline of her once flourishing music career.  

Muhando lays the blame for her troubles squarely on the bishop’s shoulders. She said as much in her interview with Ijumaa Wikienda.