Young artists and content creators in Eldoret have called for stronger measures to protect creative works, improve access to professional certification and expand income opportunities under the proposed Creative Economy Bill, 2026. The concerns were raised during a public participation forum on the Bill held at the Uasin Gishu County Multipurpose Hall, where members of the public shared their views with the National Assembly Sports and Culture Committee.
Artists said piracy, unpaid royalties, limited access to production facilities and inadequate professional certification continue to hinder young people seeking to build careers in the creative industry.Creative museum operator Leonard Kiplagat called for stronger protection against unauthorised use of creative works, saying photographs and videos taken at his museum are sometimes used commercially without his permission.
Fashion designer and trainer Ann Kamau said lack of recognised certification was also affecting the employability of young people trained in fashion and related creative skills.
Content creator and comedian Anthony Sitienei, popularly known as Konte Chizi, urged the Government to work with digital platforms to create fairer opportunities for creators to monetise their work. Musician Kelvin Kiprop, meanwhile, raised concerns over unpaid royalties, calling for stronger mechanisms to ensure artists receive income generated from their copyrighted works.
Artist Sammy Kiprop also called for greater investment in affordable creative spaces and programmes that can create employment opportunities for young people.
The proposed Creative Economy Bill seeks to establish a legal and institutional framework for the development of Kenya’s creative economy. It covers areas including digital content creation, film and audiovisual production, music, fashion and creative businesses. Turbo MP Janet Sitienei, who chaired the session alongside Malava MP David Ndakwa, said the proposed legislation is intended to support job creation, investment and income generation within the creative sector. The Bill also proposes a regulatory framework for the creation, development, distribution and marketing of creative works, with the aim of strengthening Kenya’s creative industry and improving opportunities for local creatives.
The public participation exercise forms part of the legislative process through which stakeholders and members of the public provide views that can inform consideration of the proposed law.