Veteran Tanzanian gospel singer Rose Muhando has shared a deeply personal and painful chapter of her life, revealing how betrayal and false accusations nearly derailed her music career — and how that very experience inspired one of her biggest hits, Nibebe.
In a heartfelt interview with Lady Bishop Kathy Kiuna, Muhando recounted how someone she trusted framed her, leading to her arrest at the airport just as she was preparing for a trip to the United States.
“Mungu alininua nikaimba mteule uwe macho nikaimba Nibebe… nilipitia machungu duniani. Shetani aliinuka akanifitini nikafanyiwa ubaya mwengine mpaka polisi nikapelekwa nikawekwa ndani,” Muhando told Kiuna.
The troubles began in her church when her first manager was jailed, leaving her alone to manage her choir. A new manager — someone she had never worked with before — offered to take over her ministry. Initially trusting him, she agreed, but soon felt uncomfortable and decided to distance herself.
“At church, we were serving God faithfully. When my first manager went to prison, I was left to manage the choir on my own. Then someone new approached me and said he would manage me. I agreed, but later things went wrong and I had to step away,” she explained.
Her troubles escalated when she received an invitation to perform in the United States. The new manager reportedly attempted to block her trip, claiming she had stolen large sums of money from the church office — accusations Muhando vehemently denies.
“On the day I was supposed to fly to Texas, I was arrested at the airport. They told me the money would be returned to Dodoma and seized my passport. I had to leave my car as bond,” she revealed.
Despite the stress and humiliation, Muhando was allowed to travel the following day. While in America, she channeled her pain into music, writing the powerful and soulful hit Nibebe, a song she says will live on because of the hardships she endured.
“When I was in America, I wrote Nibebe because of the suffering I went through. That song came from deep pain,” she said.
Upon returning to Tanzania, Muhando surprised many with her act of forgiveness. She bought herself a new car and gave the old one — the same vehicle she had left as bond at the police station — to the person who had falsely accused her.
