It is a chilly morning in Kagera Region, northwestern Tanzania. I have just boarded a shuttle bound for Geita Region.
As we hit the road, I find myself glued to the screen installed to entertain passengers. The music video playing is instantly familiar. I watched it countless times two decades ago. It is Mbona, a Swahili song by PNC featuring Mr. Blue. Back then, it was one of my favorite tracks.
Jawabu bado sijapata kabisa
Kilichofanya mpaka we ukanitosa
Au sababu mapene sijashika...
The lyrics unlock memories that had been carefully archived somewhere in my mind. As I watch Mr. Blue on the screen, my thoughts drift back to my college days and the night I rubbed shoulders with him at Club Bilicanas & Casino in Dar es Salaam.
If my memory serves me correctly, my encounter with the Mapozi hitmaker happened in the early 2000s. Dressed in a blue durag, an oversized basketball jersey, and baggy jeans, the young star looked every bit the part. He was balling out of control.
I remember seeing him drinking something alcoholic and silently wondering, “Aren’t you too young to drink?”
Fast-forward to 2026, and here I am at 5 a.m., energized by Mr. Blue’s old-school melodies. I have not closely followed the evolution of Bongo Flava over the years, but I understand that the artist is still in the game.
As the driver changes gears and the shuttle pushes deeper into the Tanzanian countryside, I find myself singing along.
Baby, usimwache...
Check analia kwenye verse
Baby, usimdrive crazy
Noma noma noma noma noma noma...
Swahili is widely spoken across the East African Community and in parts of Mozambique. In Tanzania, it serves as the lingua franca, connecting more than 120 ethnic groups.
And on this cold morning journey from Kagera to Geita, it is doing something else: reconnecting me with a younger version of myself.