Kalasha Awards: Ruto raises funding for creative industry to Sh1 billion

President William Ruto raised funding for the creative industry to Sh1 billion, during the 14th Kalasha International Film and TV Awards at KICC in Nairobi, in a move aimed at boosting film, storytelling and digital arts.

The ceremony honoured filmmakers, actors and digital creators, while spotlighting challenges such as piracy, weak funding, limited distribution and the struggle for global competitiveness.

Speaking at the event on Saturday, Ruto said the sector would play a central role in his administration’s economic transformation agenda.

“It is because of you that we are investing resolutely in this sector to nurture your talent, expand your opportunities and ensure that your creativity reaches the audience, the market and the recognition it truly deserves,” he said.

The colourful ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) brought together producers, actors, influencers, scriptwriters and government officials for a night celebrating Kenya’s growing screen industry.

The Head of State stressed the government had already created a dedicated State Department for the Creative Economy, describing it as the first time the sector had received formal institutional recognition at that level.

“What once sounded like a mere aspiration is now institutional reality embedded within the architecture of government,” he said.

He also revealed that a Creative Economy Office had been established at State House and pledged to position Nairobi as “the creative capital of Africa”.

“We have a clear and unambiguous role to position Nairobi as the creative capital of Africa, and we are matching that with the ambition and the action that is necessary.”

He said he had directed the National Treasury to move urgently on incentives designed to unlock growth in the sector.

Among the headline pledges was a plan to direct 30% of government advertising spending towards creative platforms.

The President highlighted that this would help local storytellers create content around major national programmes such as affordable housing, healthcare reform and other public initiatives.

“We will stand with you, invest alongside you, and help amplify these stories through powerful, authentic storytelling grounded in our lived realities,” he said.

The president argued that creative industries were no longer simply about entertainment, but about jobs, innovation and exports.

“It turns talent into enterprise, ideas into opportunity and creativity into jobs.”

At the event, Ruto announced an increase in prize money for winners saying each winner, initially set to receive Sh200,000 from organisers, would instead get Sh500,000.

He then unveiled a further Sh10 million competition prize for productions focused on affordable housing and health.

“I’m going to make an offer of 10 million for the best of each in affordable housing and in health,” he said.

The Kalasha Awards are organised by the Kenya Film Commission and are widely regarded as Kenya’s equivalent of the Oscars.

They were first launched in 2009, with the inaugural ceremony held at Crowne Plaza in Nairobi. The awards were created to recognise excellence in Kenyan television and film while helping grow a sustainable domestic industry.

Over the years, the awards have expanded from a modest ceremony into a multi-day market, festival and awards platform that attracts regional participation from East and Central Africa.

This year’s edition featured a celestial dress code, with celebrities, online creators and entertainers adding glamour to the night.

Among those present were content creators Chipukeezy, MC Jessy and Kadusko. Senior government officials included Principal Secretary,Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Fikirini Jacobs and Cabinet Secretary for Sports and Creative Economy Salim Mvurya.

Stage Revolution Band and singer Mordecai Dex entertained guests throughout the evening.

Several productions dominated the ceremony, especially Nawi, Sukari and Kash Money.

Major winners at the awards included Nawi, which took home Best Feature Film, while Kash Money was named Best TV Drama.

In the acting categories, Mitchelle Lenuya won Best Lead Actress (Film) for her role in Nawi, while Juma Mdoe Abbas was awarded Best Lead Actor (Film) for Sukari. John Sibi-Okumu claimed Best Lead Actor (TV) for his performance in Kash Money.

For directing honours, Omar Hamza won Best Director (Film) for Sukari, while Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson shared the Best TV Director award for Kash Money.

In the digital content categories, Edwin Wainaina, known as Kadusko, was named Digital Content Creator of the Year, while Shiksha Arora received the Best Positive Impact Creator award.

Veteran filmmaker John Karanja was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to the industry.

Other winners included Mary Wanjiku for Best Animation, Viva Njeri for Best Costume Design, Eric Musyoka for Best Sound Design and Mark Maina for Best Documentary.

Despite the celebrations, the content creators highlighted major obstacles they face in the industry.

Filmmakers continue to cite limited financing, piracy, poor cinema attendance, weak marketing budgets and inadequate distribution networks.

Online discussions among Kenyan audiences have pointed to the difficulty of accessing local films, with many productions failing to secure slots in cinemas or on global streaming services. Others say audiences often prefer imported content.

Some producers also say technical training, equipment costs and inconsistent investor confidence continue to slow growth.

Industry observers note that while Kenya has strong storytelling talent, it still trails larger African screen industries such as Nigeria’s Nollywood and South Africa’s television sector in scale and export reach.

The President questioned why Kenya should only focus on attracting Hollywood productions instead of owning and producing them. He challenged the country to leverage its talent and step into the global arena as a partner in blockbuster film productions.

The president argued he would later this month, on May 26, meet the Recording Academy, organisers of the Grammy Awards, to discuss positioning Africa, and Kenya in particular, for a globally recognised creative platform.

“It is not enough for our artists to be seen internationally, they must earn and compete at that level,” he said.

“This is about moving from showcasing talent to building an industry, from global applause to global market share.”

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The Head of State also suggested that State House could host the 2027 edition of the Kalasha Awards.

For many attendees, however, the key question will be whether the promises announced on stage translate into action.

If implemented, the Sh1 billion pledge, increased prize money, advertising reforms and institutional backing could mark a turning point for Kenya’s creative economy.

For one night at least, the cameras were rolling and the spotlight was firmly on Kenyan talent.