Tanzanian Home Affairs Minister Jumanne Abdallah Katambi has directed police to arrest Bongo Flava artiste Godfrey Tumaini, popularly known as Dudu Baya, after he allegedly failed to respond to government summons.
The directive was issued on Friday, September 4, 2026, following a special meeting between the minister, artistes and other stakeholders at the ministry’s offices in Dar es Salaam.
Dudu Baya was among several artistes and social media personalities summoned to attend the meeting but reportedly did not appear. He had also been called to an earlier meeting on September 2 to discuss laws governing their activities and the responsible use of social media.
Following Friday’s meeting, Minister Katambi directed the Tanzania Police Force to locate and arrest Dudu Baya and ensure he is brought before the relevant legal authorities.
The minister further ordered that Dudu Baya undergo special medical examinations to assess his condition and establish other matters related to his conduct.
“Given what is currently unfolding, I am directing that he undergo additional medical tests. Once we receive the findings from the Chief Government Chemist, we will know what steps to take next,” said the minister.
The action comes as Katambi steps up warnings to artistes, content creators and other public figures over their conduct and the content they create or share online. During the earlier meeting, the minister warned that neither money nor popularity would place anyone above the law.
Before Friday’s directive, Dudu Baya, Niffer, Nana Dolls and Uncle T had been specifically summoned to appear at the ministry at 4am on September 4 after failing to attend the initial meeting.
Dudu Baya’s case has now become the latest development in an increasingly direct engagement between the government and Tanzania’s entertainment and digital-creator community over public conduct, social media use and compliance with the law.
It remains unclear when Dudu Baya will be located or whether he will face specific criminal charges. The nature of any potential legal proceedings will depend on the outcome of the police investigation and any subsequent action by the relevant authorities.
