What was meant to be a powerful night of worship with Nigerian gospel star Moses Bliss turned into a heart-wrenching disappointment for over 60,000 fans in Tanzania, after the singer was denied entry into the country due to unexpected visa complications.
Fresh off a successful performance in Kenya, Bliss and his team were scheduled to fly from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam for a massive, free worship concert. Spirits were high, and anticipation even higher — but the dream came crashing down at the airport.
Despite prior assurances from event organizers that all travel documents had been approved, Bliss and his crew were informed at the last minute that their visas hadn’t been granted.
Efforts to salvage the situation quickly escalated: phone calls to African officials, government authorities, and even presidential contacts — all to no avail.
“We made every contact possible from everywhere around Africa,” Bliss shared in a heartfelt message. “We even got presidential intervention, but we couldn’t get visas.”
In a desperate bid to honor the commitment, the team flew into Tanzania under the hope of securing visas on arrival — a common practice for many African travelers. But that plan also collapsed.
“They told us we would get visa on arrival, and we landed. We’ve been here now for about six hours. No way to go in — immigration won’t let us in,” the singer revealed. “Apparently, no visa on arrival again for us.”
The incident was especially painful, Bliss said, given the months of prayer, planning, and over hundreds of thousands of dollars invested to keep the event completely free for worshippers.
“It’s very painful because we’ve been praying and looking forward to this event for so long. I did everything within my power to be with you guys tonight. They didn’t let us in.”
Despite being grounded in an airport lounge instead of a stage, the award-winning gospel minister had a message of hope for his Tanzanian supporters:
“Tanzania, please hear me — you were not at fault. You came out in numbers, ready for God, and that moves me deeply. I owe you not just an apology, but a promise. By God’s grace, I will return.”
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The incident has sparked conversations online about visa policies, artist mobility in Africa, and the need for better inter-country coordination when it comes to events of this magnitude.
For now, Bliss and his team are headed back to Nairobi, but the echoes of what could have been still linger in the hearts of thousands.
