We Shouldn’t be Debating this ~ Ababu Namwamba Sends a Strong Message To all Broadcasting Channels

The Kenyan Cabinet Secretary in charge of Youth Affairs, Sports, and the Arts, Ababu Namwamba, has sent a message to all broadcasting channels in the country.

Speaking during an interview, the Cabinet Secretary shared his disappointment with the broadcasting channels in the country, saying that they are failing on their end by not supporting their own artists work and pushing it more often, just as they are doing with the outsiders. And because of that, a new directive will be introduced.

“And I have no shame in announcing that we are drafting legislation… we are drafting policy that will be going to make it very expensive to bring those cheap foreign shows into our TVs.” Ababu Namwaba insisted.

Ababu believes that talents are not only nurtured but also embraced, and that can only be done by being recognized, and that’s where the media comes in.

There are so many talents in the country, but because of the constant ignorance of the media outlets not wanting to push the individual’s art either through posting it or putting it on air, many people are barely surviving on a talent that should be meeting all their needs.

“We should not even be debating this… Every country that has succeeded in transforming creatives into a mega industry—think of India, Nigeria, and South Africa—it’s not arguable, so how are we going to grow if we are not putting resources into local content?

If we are not putting local content on the airwaves, if we are not playing local  content, Ababu added.

The Cs said that the only way that the industry will grow is by everybody deciding to support the local content, starting with the individuals doing it by sharing it and for the media outlets to air it just as other countries thrive in doing so.

Ababu Namwamba said that there’s a government rule that is set to be introduced because many people are becoming ignorant of the matter and are set to introduce a new directive.

“We already have the government rule that it should really be at a very minimal 70% local and 30% international content.

The highest percentage of content on our TV and on our radio should be local content.
and there’s no debate about that.”

Concluded by urging the public to support their own more.