Bongo Flava star Harmonize arrested in Nairobi

Tanzanian singer Rajab Abdul Kahali popularly known as Harmonize, is reportedly under arrest in Kenya and is being held at Kileleshwa police station, a day after headlining the Afrika Moja Concert at the KICC, Citizen TV has reported.

Harmonize, who was supposed to leave the country on Sunday, was arrested after he reportedly failed to honour several appearances at various Nairobi clubs.

Kenyan comedian Eric Omondi has also been implicated in the brewing scandal, with claims that he collected money from bar owners in exchange for the star’s appearance at the bars.

Citizen Digital has learned that a former Nairobi Governor cum club proprietor had already paid hundreds of thousands for the Tanzanian sensation to perform at one of his establishments.

Harmonize was detained at the Kileleshwa police station, for questioning over complaints from the show.

Police said they were investigating claims of obtaining money by false pretense. Several of his fans thronged the station when news of his arrest came out.

Kilimani police boss Mbogo Muturi said his officers were acting on complaints from some of the artist’s handlers.

Melamani Limited, the promoter who brought Harmonize to the country downplayed the claims of arrest, telling the media that the singer had been taken to the police station for his ‘own security’.

According to reports, the promoter was not even aware of the club appearances because he was only told that the ‘kwangwaru’ hitmaker would only perform at the KICC.

‘Konde Boy’ was supposed to perform for one and a half hours at Captain’s Lounge in Sabaki, but only did five minutes, according to Jor Barsil, a director at the club.

“I paid Sh9 million to Melamani Limited for Harmonize to come to the club for a party and to be with the fans for one and a half hours, but when he came he only stayed for not more than five minutes,”

“This angered the fans who wanted to beat him up but I protected him, I want be refunded the amount I spent,”

Barsil told Citizen Digital that the set up cost Sh20 million and the star’s appearance cost Sh9 million.

Meanwhile, Omondi and Harmonize were forced to flee an establishment along Mombasa road on Friday night after enraged patrons complained that the singer had only performed for less than two minutes.

Omondi defended himself by claiming that the singer was only supposed to make an appearance at the club, while enjoying himself, and that it was not a mini-concert.

“Kenyans have to understand the difference between a club appearance, or technical appearance, or a meet-and-greet and an after-party. They are not like a concert,” the comedian was quoted as saying.

“The artist is just there to chill and enjoy himself, nothing much. He wasn’t supposed to perform, Harmonize was coming to perform at KICC, they shouldn’t have expected him to perform,”

Apparently, chaos erupted after Harmonize appeared at the club for a brief moment before disappearing.

A majority of revelers who were at the establishment had paid an upwards of Sh100,000 for the VVIP tickets, for an event that had been hyped as ‘Freaky Friday with Harmonize Live, hosted by Eric Omondi’.

It was not yet clear what exactly the revelers had been made to pay for with a majority accusing the club of shortchanging them.

The aftermath of the chaos, according to Omondi, left the musician with injuries and his car vandalised.

In a turn of events in this saga, Omondi posted a video on his Instagram page with a busted lip, claiming Harmonize punched him when he went to post his bail at the police station. It is still unclear whether the comedian’s allegations are true or false.