TID released from jail

After serving four months in prison, bongo musician TID is now a free man. TID was released from jail on Tuesday following a presidential pardon on petty offenders. He left the gates of Segerea Prison at 10am and was picked up by friends and close relatives.

The singer was serving a one year jail term.

A jovial TID said he was happy to be out and breathing fresh air again.

"It’s been really tough in there but I’ve learnt a lot," he promised to hold a press conference on Wednesday. President Jakaya Kikwete pardoned petty offenders at 10am.

A few weeks ago a Tanzanian High Court judge Robert Makaramba accepted TID’s appeal on his assault charge. While behind bars, TID broke the silence on his stay in prison through song, Siwezi –— a single he recorded three weeks before he went to prison. This is the first song from the upcoming album Prison voice. In a statement printed on the makeshift album cover of the single he had asked his fans: "Why I can’t be with the one I love, the question is can you?" "Hi, I am still in jail and life is terrible. This is my fourth month and although many people inside here have lost hope because life is so hard, I have written new songs explaining how I got into this mess. I believe the public should be made aware of the reality of the conditions of prisons in Tanzania and having experienced it myself I am now able to make people sit up and listen so that they understand how life is in jail in this country. Please support my attempts to tell my story by playing my song."