The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts, Ababu Namwamba, emphasized the importance of nurturing and growing the Kenyan film industry as a crucial aspect of preserving the country’s culture.
At a ceremony for the third Film Empowerment Programme awardees, Namwamba announced that 22 recipients would receive 39 million Kenyan shillings.
The Film Empowerment Programme, created by the Kenya Film Commission, aims to provide funding for film and video-related projects in categories including Development Funding, Production Funding, Marketing and Distribution Funding, and Emerging Filmmakers Funding.
Namwamba stated that the film industry is a priority for his ministry and that they are working on the Creative Economy Bill to address financing issues.
He also mentioned that the commission’s survey revealed that only 34% of Kenyans watch local films, with 66% watching foreign content, and highlighted the need to establish a screen culture and grow an audience base for local films.
Namwamba’s remarks come after a year in which Kenyan films have been gaining recognition in international markets and being included on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Showmax, and Prime Video.
