Celebrated Kenyan artiste Otile Brown has penned an emotional letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta calling for stringent measures against those misappropriating artists’ money.
In his letter, Otile noted that artists are struggling to earn a living, yet some CMO officials are squandering their money. He urged the president to intervene on the issue and ensure that the artists earn what is due to them.
He went on to write, ” inauma sanaa mheshimiwa Rais @ukenyatta Sahii kwanzia January inasemekana kuwa serikali inataka kuanza kututoza ushuru kupita mtandao wa YouTube ambao tumekua tukitegemea baada ya kutukata tamaa na viongozi waliokataa kutupatia haki yetu na kutudhulumu hadharani. Bila woga. Nahisi umefika wakati wanatukatisha tamaa , tumetengwa na hakuna anayetujali hata kile kidogo cha kulisha familia zetu kinachukuliwa.
READ: Artists 100M stimulus to champion gender equity and Inclusion on a ‘work for pay’ model
I love my country. Mwenyezi mungu tusimamie. Mheshimiwa Rais @ukenyatta .. we’re not asking for anything from the government but to be given, what is rightfully ours …”
In early May, CS Amina Mohammed noted that an Sh100M stimulus package for artistes would run for a period of 3 months from May to July 2020, spearheaded by various state agencies and sports organizations.
As posted on The Sauce, She divulged that no cash handouts will be given to artistes, adding that for any artiste to benefit from the money, he/she needs to produce content that educates, entertains and informs Kenyans and the entire world on the safety, and health guidelines required to stop COVID-19.
However, it seems that many entertainers are yet to benefit from the stimulus package. Moreover, the nation’s economy has continued to suffer due to the government directives that has slowed down business operations leading to economic decline.
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The Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage, and the Music Copyright Society of Kenya has yet to comment on Otile Brown’s recent comments.
This article was first posted on Mdundo.
