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Why Kenya’s booming creative goldmine still feels like a hustle
Kenya’s creative economy isn’t short on talent, drive, or ideas. It’s short on alignment — between those who create, those who regulate, and those who fund.
“Kenyan creatives cannot walk into a bank and get a loan using their art as security, no matter how famous they are. This is why they live hand to mouth, pay cheque to pay cheque.”
That stark truth, shared by creative business executive Roy Gitahi, sums up a frustrating paradox in Kenya’s creative economy. Despite the sector’s proven cultural and economic value, contributing 5.3 percent to gross domestic product, its contributors continue to be locked out of formal financial systems, policy support, and sustainable growth opportunities.
