- Pastor Victor Kanyari publicly called out musician Bahati in October 2026, accusing him of forgetting his early role in the singer's music career
- Kanyari claimed he financed Bahati's first song after the musician visited his Donholm home, asking for help with production costs
- The dispute resurfaced over a reported KSh 1 million VIP wedding invitation, with Kanyari making a surprising decision about the contribution
Gospel musician Bahati has finally addressed Pastor Victor Kanyari's very public call-out, acknowledging the preacher's role in getting his music career off the ground before he became a household name in Kenya.
Source: Facebook
Kanyari made headlines in October 2026 when he aired his grievances openly, accusing Bahati of failing to publicly credit him for the support he received in the early days of his career.
According to the preacher, it was his ex-wife, gospel singer Betty Bayo, who first introduced him to Bahati when the artist was still a complete unknown.
How Kanyari helped Bahati launch his career
The story goes that a young, pre-fame Bahati made his way to Kanyari's home in Donholm, Nairobi, with nothing but a rough song and a request for honest feedback.
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After listening, Kanyari went a step further and handed him money to cover the production costs, giving the future star the financial push he needed to release his debut track.
The issue boiled back to the surface when Kanyari raised concerns about a KSh 1 million VIP wedding invitation linked to Bahati's upcoming nuptials with Diana Marua.
The preacher was vocal about feeling overlooked, saying Bahati had never publicly acknowledged his early support despite going on to achieve enormous success.
After the public spat gained traction, Bahati met Kanyari face to face, owned up to his contribution, and the two settled their differences.
Bahati also revealed that Diana Marua had been surprised to learn the full story, questioning why he had never shared it with the family before.
In a twist that few expected, Kanyari agreed to pay the KSh 1 million for the wedding invitation, extending his support to Bahati once again.
Bahati and Diana Marua's wedding is reportedly set for 6 November 2026.
Watch the video below:
Netizens weigh in
Kenyans had plenty to say about the whole saga on social media:
@millychebby:
"Hii industry ukilala Unarudi ocha Go Baha announce it 6th it is"
@lyf_4.edge:
"Si I thought kanyari Ali sema hawezi toa"
@mr__lapresa:
"Sadaka yako hio inaenda kwa diana"
@sayianka:
"You got to give it to Bahati and Diana, they have used social media properly."
@nabwire2070:
"Enyewe bahati ni sharp boy hii kanairo"
@mushmorry:
"Nani anaamini mosiria is next"
@zawadipraise254:
"Tusha pata mahubiri ya next Sunday"
Is Kanyari still co-parenting with Tash?
TUKO.co.ke also highlighted facts about Pastor Kanyari’s remarks suggesting his co-parenting arrangement with Tash may be under strain.
The comments follow a public custody dispute after Betty’s death, which ended with a court placing her children in Tash’s primary care while ordering Kanyari to contribute to their upkeep.
Source: TUKO.co.ke