Tanzanian gospel singer Christina Shusho has caused a stir in Kenya after she released a teaser of her upcoming new song titled “Zakayo”.
In her signature style of tantalizing Swahili melodies, Shusho croons, “Kulikuwa na mtu moja, jina lake Zakayo… Mkuu wa watoza ushuru naye ni tajiri… Alitafuta kumuona Yesu ni mtu wa aina gani… Asiweze kwa sababu ya umati...”
This lyrical snippet has set tongues wagging, especially in Kenya, where the Tanzanian songstress commands a massive following.
However, in some quarters, Zakayo in Kenya isn’t just a short man.
Some playful speculators couldn’t help but wonder if the song might be a veiled reference to Kenya’s President, William Ruto.
In Kenya, a segment of the populace amusingly coined the nickname “Zakayo” for President Ruto. Drawing from the biblical narrative of Zacchaeus, a tax collector infamous for his greed, who climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus, the moniker hints at the president’s fiscal policies.
President Ruto has earned the nickname due to his administration’s implementation of new taxes and the escalation of existing ones since his inauguration in August 2022. This financial burden has fueled discontent among many Kenyans, who feel betrayed by what they perceive as a departure from his campaign pledge to advocate for the interests of the “hustlers” – those grappling with financial hardships.
Fans are eagerly awaiting the full release of “Zakayo,” eager to decipher its lyrical messages and check if the song is about the Biblical tax collector or the Kenyan tax collector.