The fight on drugs is on steroids (pun intended) and Tanzanian stars and personalities are feeling the heat.

Tanzania's president Pombe Magufuli is going ham on drug traffickers, peddlers, and users. To get to the big fish, Magufuli's government has gone after the small fish who use "unga" for recreation.

This net has outed some big names in Tanzanian music as drug users. They include Wema Sepetu, Vanessa Mdee, Jux, TID, Chidi Benz, Dogo Hamidu, Babuu wa Kitaa and Mr Blue.

Other Tanzanian celebrities who were apparently summoned include Nassib Abdul, popularly known as Diamond Platinumz, Emmanuel Elibariki, Rehema Chalamila, popularly known as Ray C, Wema’s fiancé, Idris Sultan, Azan Zungu, Abas Mtevu and Rugemarila Mutahaba.

Speaking in parliament early this week, Magufuli said,

"In this war against narcotics, no one is too prominent to be arrested even if they are politicians, security officers, cabinet ministers or the child of a prominent person. If you are involved in the trade, you will be arrested. Even if my wife Janet is involved, go ahead and arrest her."

He lamented that the "effects of drug use and abuse in our nation today is at a critical level. It is unacceptable that drugs are being sold like groundnuts. It is no secret."

He praised the police chief for suspending 12 junior officers last week on suspicion of drug trafficking.

But he said the campaign must target the financiers and dealers, citing the case of one unnamed drug trader whose case was taking too long to go through the Tanzanian courts.

"I know some leaders tried to defend him. But we must now start to jail these big drug dealers, instead of just dealing with the little people," the president said.