Bongo Flava singer Diamond Platnumz has broken his silence after losing in the just concluded BET Awards held in LA, California.
In a post on Instagram, Diamond thanked his Tanzanian fans for their support and urged them to support the next artist who will be nominated in the awards.
"Kupitia tuzo hii nimeona ni kias gani watanzania tuna umoja, upendo na kuthamini vya kwetu...Nawashkuru sana kila mmoja wenu kwa Upendo mkubwa mlionionesha... Nifaraja kuona Dunia inapotaja nchi zenye Wanamuziki bora Tanzania inatajwa, ni jambo la Kumshukuru Mungu," he wrote.
"Na naamini wakati mwingine Tutaibeba...nitafarijika kesho na kesho kutwa msanii mwingine pia akiwa katika jambo la kuwakilisha Taifa tumpe nguvu kama mlionipa.... sis ni #SwahiliNation sisi ni Taifa la Waswahili," he added.
The Baba Lao hitmaker lost to Nigeria's Burna Boy who won the award for the third year consecutively. The Ye singer won the award amid one of his best charting albums dubbed Twice As Tall.
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Earlier this month a petition was launched on Change.org seeking to have Diamond disqualified over his support of Late Tanzanian President Dr John Magufuli.
"Diamond Platnumz is a world-renowned Tanzania music artist who used his popularity and his talent to whitewash and deodorize the brutal repression of the late dictator John Magufuli and his regime," the petition read.
"Diamond is also a close friend and business ally of Paul Makonda the former Governor of Dar-es-Salaam who has openly persecuted and cracked down on LGBTI people," it added.
The Jeje hitmaker is also accused of supporting violations of human rights due to his association with form Dar-es-salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda.
"Makonda has also been designated in 2020 by the US State Department for gross violations of human rights including cracking down on freedom of expression and association," the petition read.
During the campaign season in Tanzania Diamond was a vocal supporter of Dr Magufuli and even released a song that was played throughout his campaign.
"After the BET Awards 2021 nomination for the best international act, Diamond took to the media and spoke disparagingly of activists, then paid a visit to his party’s headquarters CCM whereby his nomination was hailed as some sort of achievement for the party and the nation," the petition read in part.
