Sports, Youth Affairs and Arts CS Ababu Namwamba has pledged to expand Kenya's creative industry to levels that will enable artists earn a decent living.
The CS made the revelation when he met Nigerian music sensation Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie popularly known as Patoranking on Wednesday.
The guest artist had paid the cabinet secretary a courtesy call at his office.
"They deliberated on matters music and areas of collaboration between Kenya and Nigerian artists," the Sports ministry said in a statement released Thursday.
Kenyan creatives have for years been complaining about meagre earnings in the form of royalties from their creative works.
Artistes who are registered with the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) earn royalties when their musical creations are performed in public.
Earlier this year in April, there was uproar from Kenyan artists after PRISK sent them a flat rate of Sh1,215 from royalties collected in 2021.
“We’ve now received money to the tunes of billions. Who wants a loan? The money we were waiting for is here. Our president we are so proud of you!” flamboyant rapper KRG the Don said in a sarcastic statement.
Some said despite being in the industry for over 40 years, they had nothing to show as achievement for their work even though their songs were being consumed by lots of people in the country.
Rapper Wangechi said in a Twitter post that being an artist in Kenya is an extreme sport.
With Ababu's assurance, one can only hope that things will get better for Kenya's crop of artists.
