Tanzania: Shusho, Bongoflava Unite to Protect Biodiversity

FIVE music artistes have teamed up and launch a new song known as 'kijanisha' (regreening) to sensitise Tanzanians on the need to conserve the environment through protecting biodiversity and tree replanting.

The new song has come when Tanzania, as part of the world, is grappling hard to battle environmental pollution and climate change effects caused by deforestation, soil, water, and air pollution due to increased human activities.

"This is a very important day as we see artistes willingly joining their forces to come up with the songs and other artistic talents for sensitising environmental conservation," Said Wessel Van Eeden, director of communication for Justdiggit, a global nongovernmental organisation which works to sensitise environmental conservation in Africa.

Eeden added that his organisation was grateful to the five Tanzanian artists for the support, which will help create awareness among many people in urban and rural places so that they can join forces in protecting the planet from further environmental degradation and its effects.

The five artists include rapper Joh Makini, Joymondy, Bernard Paul, Frida Amani and the gospel artist Christina Shusho. For his part, Njamasi Chiwanga, the director of programmes for the Lead foundation, a local partner for Justidiggit, said that the new initiative by artists means that everyone will join up the celebrities' voices and actions to work towards naturally re-greening Tanzania's and other parts of Africa.

"Environmental degradation affects us all, religious and non-religious. When we pollute the environment, we are polluting God's creation. This is why I have joined fellow artists in coming up with this song 'kijanisha', for creating awareness and catalysing appropriate actions," said Christina Shusho, the famous award-winning gospel singer.

According to available statistics, it is estimated that around 372,000 hectares of forests in Tanzania are cleared in search of firewood and charcoal, where Dar es Salaam city takes the lion's share when it comes to consuming such products, which affects the environment.

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