Published on March 5, 2025 by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Last Updated on 1 year by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Kenyan singer and drummer Savara Delvin Mudigi, commonly known as Savara, and his Sauti Sol bandmates were detained in Tanzania for over 10 hours due to immigration issues.
Speaking in an interview with Tanzanian blog Simulizi na Sauti, on Monday, March 3, 2025, the musician revealed that the group was arrested near Arusha after one of them failed to produce the necessary documentation—an unfortunate mishap that coincided with a regional governor’s visit to the area.
Savara recalled the distressing experience, explaining how the situation quickly escalated.
“Mmoja wetu hakuwa na cheti alafu huo ndio wakati mkuu wa mkoa alikuwa anapitia. Ilikuwa tafash sana. Tulikamatwa wote tukawekwa ndani,” he said.
With no clear timeline for their release, the group found themselves locked inside a police station, unsure of how long they would be held.
However, help came in the form of Tanzanian rapper AY, who, upon learning of their predicament, drove all the way from Dar es Salaam to Arusha to negotiate their freedom.
“Ni AY alitoka Dar, alidrive kutoka Dar akakuja kututoa,” Savara explained, noting that the rapper stayed with them for nearly 12 hours, ensuring their release.
“Alikuja kututoa kwa station huko Arusha baada ya kukaa for almost like 12 hours.”
However, though they stayed in the cells for hours without certainty on how things would go, Savara shared that they were not so bored, as the cell they were in served them good food.
He shared that they were served rice and beans, which had been prepared with coconut milk, and he was so happy over the meal as it was well done and happened to be his favourite.
He even joked that upon seeing the kind of meals offered there, they thought it would not have been so bad if they ended up being jailed.
“You know kenye nilifurahia? Tulikula wali na maharagwe, na maharagwe yenyewe yalikuwa ya nazi. Nikasema ahhh… tukafurahia mpaka tukasema itabidi tumekuwa wafungwa huku Tanzania,” he joked.
