DIAMOND’S FORMER DJ RESCUED FROM STREETS

A former DJ who reportedly worked with Tanzanian music star Diamond Platnumz has been found living on the streets of Nairobi, drawing attention to the difficult realities that can confront entertainers after they fall out of the spotlight.

The man was discovered on Thursday, August 13, 2026, along Mombasa Road near the Nyayo Stadium roundabout by Nairobi City County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria.

Mosiria stopped after noticing the man and began speaking to him in an effort to establish who he was and understand how he had ended up living on the streets.

As the conversation unfolded, several passersby reportedly recognised him and recalled his past in the entertainment industry. They told Mosiria that he had previously worked as a DJ and had at one point been associated professionally with Diamond Platnumz.

Mosiria later described the encounter on social media, expressing concern over the man's condition and revealing that he was unwell and struggling with addiction.
“Enyewe watu huku inje wanakapitia! Huyu jamaa alikuwa DJ, who even worked at one point with Tanzania star Diamond, but due to addictions, here he is sick and suffering, sleeping along Mombasa Road at Nyayo Stadium roundabout,” Mosiria wrote.

The county official also began efforts to establish contact with people who knew the former DJ, with the possibility of reconnecting him with his family and getting him appropriate assistance.
“Nitachukua number yenyu niwaambie mahali mtamuleta asaidiwe huyu DJ,” Mosiria told people at the scene.

He subsequently appealed to members of the public who could identify the man or knew his relatives to provide information that could help reunite him with his family.
“If you know his family, kindly let them know and inform me,” he said.

The man's reported past stands in sharp contrast to his current circumstances.
He is identified in some accounts as DJ Tusnami Snaacha Skartel, popularly known as DJ Snatcher, although his identity has not been independently confirmed in the reports surrounding the incident.

Accounts circulating about his career describe him as a prominent figure in the East African entertainment scene who performed at major events and enjoyed a period of considerable visibility.

He was reportedly involved in events featuring Diamond Platnumz during the Tanzanian singer's expanding presence across the region in the mid-to-late 2010s, including performances in Kenya and Tanzania.

Some reports further claim that he had travelled outside East Africa for DJ engagements and enjoyed the lifestyle and recognition that came with a successful entertainment career.
Those details, however, have emerged from accounts surrounding the encounter and have not been independently verified.

His reported struggle with addiction and illness has now brought a very different chapter of his life into public view.

The intervention is not the first time Mosiria has stepped in to assist an entertainer found in difficult circumstances.
Earlier in August, the Nairobi County official was also reported to have intervened in the case of former Boondocks Gang member Maddox, who was said to have been struggling with depression and substance abuse while living on the streets.

According to reports, members of the public alerted Mosiria to Maddox's situation, prompting him to locate the former Gengetone artiste. Maddox subsequently agreed to receive assistance and was taken to a rehabilitation facility.

Maddox rose to prominence as part of Boondocks Gang during the rise of Gengetone, contributing to popular releases including “Rieng”, “Madam” and “Chonjo”.

The interventions have drawn attention to the vulnerability of entertainers who can disappear from public view once their careers lose momentum.

While major musicians may continue commanding public attention years after their biggest successes, many DJs, dancers, producers and other industry professionals can quietly lose work and support without the public noticing.

The former DJ's situation has therefore sparked a broader conversation about what happens to people behind the scenes of the entertainment industry when fame, income and professional networks begin to disappear.

For now, Mosiria's immediate focus is on tracing the man's relatives and identifying the support system that could help him access rehabilitation and begin rebuilding his life.
The incident also serves as a reminder that addiction can have far-reaching consequences for a person's health, relationships, livelihood and living conditions, making timely support and recovery assistance crucial.