Kenyan singer and drummer Savara Delvin Mudigi, commonly known as Savara, has shared details of the unsettling moment he and his Sauti Sol bandmates were detained in Tanzania for over 10 hours due to immigration issues.
Speaking in an interview with Tanzanian blog Simulizi na Sauti, on Monday, March 3, 2025, the musician revealed that the group was arrested near Arusha after one of them failed to produce the necessary documentation—an unfortunate mishap that coincided with a regional governor’s visit to the area.
Savara recalled the distressing experience, explaining how the situation quickly escalated.
“Mmoja wetu hakuwa na cheti alafu huo ndio wakati mkuu wa mkoa alikuwa anapitia. Ilikuwa tafash sana. Tulikamatwa wote tukawekwa ndani,” he said.
With no clear timeline for their release, the group found themselves locked inside a police station, unsure of how long they would be held.
However, help came in the form of Tanzanian rapper AY, who, upon learning of their predicament, drove all the way from Dar es Salaam to Arusha to negotiate their freedom.
“Ni AY alitoka Dar, alidrive kutoka Dar akakuja kututoa,” Savara explained, noting that the rapper stayed with them for nearly 12 hours, ensuring their release.
“Alikuja kututoa kwa station huko Arusha baada ya kukaa for almost like 12 hours.”
However, though they stayed in the cells for hours without certainty on how things would go, Savara shared that they were not so bored, as the cell they were in served them good food.
He shared that they were served rice and beans, which had been prepared with coconut milk, and he was so happy over the meal as it was well done and happened to be his favourite.
He even joked that upon seeing the kind of meals offered there, they thought it would not have been so bad if they ended up being jailed.
“You know kenye nilifurahia? Tulikula wali na maharagwe, na maharagwe yenyewe yalikuwa ya nazi. Nikasema ahhh… tukafurahia mpaka tukasema itabidi tumekuwa wafungwa huku Tanzania,” he joked.
MadFun perfomance
The singer was speaking just a day after Nigerian Grammy Award-winning musician Burna Boy extended a secret invitation to him and Sauti Sol to be surprise performers at his event on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
Burna Boy, known as the African Giant, lived up to his moniker as he headlined the fully packed Mad Fun Experience at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi.
Kicking off the night with his hit song ‘Location’, the Nigerian superstar set the mood for his Nairobi fans before sending the crowd into a frenzy by bringing out the band for an unexpected performance.
Together, they electrified the massive crowd at Uhuru Gardens with a stirring rendition of Time Flies, a track from Burna Boy’s 2020 album Twice as Tall. The moment was met with wild cheers, with many fans singing along to the tune, which has amassed over four million views on YouTube.
Some ecstatic fans took to documenting the historical performance, as Sauti Sol had not been listed among the event’s official performers.
Sauti Sol’s hiatus
Burna Boy’s performance with Sauti Sol carried a wave of nostalgia, as the Kenyan boy band had previously announced an indefinite hiatus following their final group performance in 2023.
The band had bid their fans farewell in a sold-out Sol Fest concert, held in Nairobi on 2 and 4 November 2023, before parting ways to pursue individual careers.
“Sauti Sol has been an incredible journey for us, both as musicians and friends. We are filled with gratitude for the love and support we have received throughout the years. While we take this hiatus to pursue our individual and collective passions, we remain committed to our friendship and our shared businesses. The bond between us is unbreakable, and we are excited for what the future holds,” the band had stated at the time.
Among the four members, Bien has notably risen as the most prominent solo act.
The talented vocalist has released several hit projects, collaborated with various artists, and recently clinched a Trace Award for Best Artist in Eastern Africa.