Kenyan content creators may soon receive direct support from county governments if a new proposal in the Senate becomes law. The Creative Industry Support Bill, 2024, sponsored by Migori Senator Eddy Oketch, is currently in its second reading and seeks to establish a structured, sustainable framework for supporting artists, performers, and other creatives across the country.
If passed, the Bill would require the Cabinet Secretary for Education, in consultation with the National Treasury, to roll out incentives such as tax reliefs for eligible creatives. However, these benefits would only apply to registered members of recognized creative guilds.
“The incentives and benefits shall only be made available to members of the Guild whose names have been entered into the roll,” the Bill states.
While presenting the motion in the Senate, Senator Oketch said the legislation aims to address long-standing challenges in the creative economy and reposition it as a serious pillar of Kenya’s development strategy.
“The creative economy leverages human creativity, innovation, and ideas as tools for economic growth. Kenyans working in the creative sector contribute significantly to the GDP through job creation and tax remittance,” the Bill reads.
Oketch argued that despite this impact, the government has consistently sidelined creatives, treating them as afterthoughts in national development agendas.
“People in the creative industry are sometimes seen as people who did not succeed in the traditional modes of survival,” Oketch remarked. “This Bill seeks to change the mindset that creatives is a place that people go to as a last resort.”
To support this transformation, Oketch proposed moving the creative sector from the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage to the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry. He said this shift would better align the sector with economic development goals and attract investment.
Oketch also pointed to the murky payment systems and bureaucratic red tape that hinder creatives from earning fair compensation.
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana, who seconded the motion, lauded the Bill as a breakthrough for creatives across the country and beyond.
“This Bill is a step in the right direction. It creates a formal system that acknowledges creatives and allows them to earn a sustainable living from what they do best,” he said.
The proposed legislation outlines support mechanisms that include county-level grants and national tax incentives. The goal is to place the creative sector on equal footing with traditionally prioritized areas like agriculture and finance.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruyiot backed the Bill, noting that the creative economy still lacks the governmental attention it deserves.
“If there is a sector that I still feel the government of the day needs to focus its attention on, it is the creative economy,” said Cheruyiot. “This Bill is one of the many ways through which we can ensure that we provide the necessary support to the content creators in the creative economy.”
Lawmakers believe that with proper structures and implementation, the Bill could be a game-changer for Kenya’s creative industry—transforming it into a vibrant, empowered economic force.
“We know there are many talented people in this country—filmmakers, actors, musicians, producers,” Oketch said. “What they lack is a channel through which they can access support to grow.”
In addition, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei called for a national effort to celebrate top creatives by naming roads, government buildings, and public spaces in their honor.
“They have given us a name. ,” Cherargei said. “Even the people who sang the national anthem gave a lot to this country.”
Cherargei also praised President William Ruto for pushing digital monetization on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). He said such initiatives show that the country is beginning to take the creative economy seriously.
