Kenyan musician Ywaya Tajiri has found himself at the centre of an online debate over the Swahili lyrics in his song ‘Chai ya Saa Kumi’, particularly the line “Moyo wangu ina viraka”.
The discussion emerged after social media users questioned his use of the word “ina”, arguing that the noun “moyo” belongs to the U-I noun class and should therefore be followed by “una” rather than “ina”.
The criticism attracted attention online, with some listeners turning the grammatical debate into a light-hearted discussion about the musician’s songwriting.
The line appears in the song’s opening verse, where Ywaya describes his heart as having patches following previous heartbreaks before expressing how his new relationship has changed his emotional outlook.
Despite the criticism, the phrase has become one of the memorable lines associated with the track, with listeners continuing to quote and discuss it online.
Ywaya’s response has added another layer to the conversation, turning attention towards artistic expression, language and the creative choices musicians make when writing songs.
The debate has also highlighted how seemingly small details in popular music can generate widespread conversations among Kenyan audiences.
