Gospel musician William Getumbe was detained on Tuesday by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) and authorities from several organisations for continuing to distribute and perform a gospel song that had been deemed disrespectful and filthy.
The government department said in its press release that the artist’s noncompliance with the Kenyan Law’s Cap 222 and the Films and Stage Play Act was the reason for the detention.
The board acknowledged that, with the assistance of its law enforcement personnel deployed in the North Rift, police from Kapsoya Police Station had apprehended and confined the highly divisive artist in an announcement issued on Tuesday, March 12.
Following the expiration of the summons that was given to him for breaking Kenyan laws pertaining to the production, ownership, dissemination, and display of audio-visual material, he was taken into custody.
Getumbe was arrested in response to a transgression of Cap 222 sections 4 and 12. Part of the statement says, “Especially for the presentation of the immoral ‘Yesu Ninyandue’ song.”
On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, Getumbe is required by KFCB to appear in court to face three charges, one of which is filming without a licence.
Additional allegations include possessing and distributing pornographic material, distributing and displaying unclassified audiovisual materials, and putting on indecent performances that undermine morality.
“The KFCB maintains an aggressive position against the production, storage, distribution, possession, broadcasting, and exhibition of ‘indecent content that goes against the principles and ethics of society,” the KFCB said.
The board also recommended artists refrain from subjecting kids to unsuitable stuff and instead create work that supports Kenyan culture and moral principles.
“Going into the future, the KFCB continues to be enthusiastic about guaranteeing a collaborative regulatory environment that will encourage the continued development of the film industry in line with the Fifth Pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the Talanta Hela Initiative, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports,” the KFCB stated.