President William Ruto has announced that his administration is in the process of drafting a bill aimed at permitting the establishment of professional studios across the country to provide support for artists. Speaking during the State Concert for Kenya Music Festival Winners at State House in Nakuru, Ruto revealed that he has appointed a team led by the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Arts, and Culture, Ababu Namwamba, to accelerate the creation of the bill, which is anticipated to be presented to parliament within the next two months.
Ruto emphasized that the government is committed to enhancing the arts and creative sector, evident in the transformation of the Permanent Presidential Music Commission into the Creative Commission of Kenya. This change reflects the government’s intention to realize this vision.
“We are currently in the process of developing a creative bill that aims to ensure that the creative commission will not only establish professional studios in Nairobi but in every county in Kenya,” Ruto explained. He further added, “We are collaborating with local governments to create opportunities for artists, whether in primary or secondary school, enabling them to explore avenues to professionalize their inherent artistic talents.”
Additionally, Ruto revealed ongoing discussions with major social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube, to seek approval for content monetization within Kenya. He highlighted that Kenya is among four African nations capable of monetizing content on YouTube at an impressive 80 percent rate. In light of this, he proposed the establishment of a YouTube channel for the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), making educational content accessible to parents interested in witnessing the display of artistic talent by their children.
Ruto also shared that he is scheduled to meet with TikTok’s CEO to discuss strategies for managing explicit content moderation on these platforms. He underlined the significant revenue Kenya is currently generating, ranging between Ksh.500 million and Ksh.800 million per month, from these platforms. Ruto emphasized the importance of both mitigating negative effects and fostering positive outcomes from this digital space.