In a statement by Robert Klah, Head of Communications and Public Events at Charterhouse, the Board denied claims that Makoma was excluded due to profanity. Instead, they explained that their selection process allows only one song per artist in each category, except for Best Collaboration, Best International Collaboration, and Best Music Video.
King Paluta had two songs Aseda and Makoma eligible for nomination. Based on research that included streaming numbers and airplay from 175 radio stations, Aseda was considered the more popular song and was chosen for the Highlife and Most Popular Song of the Year categories.
This policy is not new. A similar rule was applied in 2016 when Bisa Kdei had two hit songs, Mansa and Brother Brother. Only Mansa was nominated, as Bisa Kdei himself chose it after being informed of the one-song-per-category rule.
The Board stated that this policy helps prevent vote-splitting and increases an artist’s chances of winning. While the rule had been relaxed in previous years, it has been reinstated this year, leading to the exclusion of Makoma
