A funding shortfall of Sh40 million has forced Kenya’s most prestigious film and television celebration event, the Kalasha Awards, to go dark this year, marking the first time in 13 years that ceremony will not take place.
"We hope we will do it in March next year. But we want it to be open to more people, we want more ideas on board,” said Sudi Wandabusi, the Kenya Film Commission (KFC) chairperson, which organises Kalasha, an annual gala and its accompanying three-day Kalasha International Film & TV Market, a cornerstone trade fair that has become an iconic fixture in East Africa's creative calendar.
The trade fair has grown into a vital platform, offering international film professionals and festival participants opportunities to advance their businesses through content trading, partnerships, and networking.
Kalasha features a robust programme of conferences, workshops, coaching sessions, and pitching opportunities, all culminating in the glamorous awards ceremony.
Mr Wandabusi, an intellectual property lawyer, revealed the Commission’s new plans at a recent creative roundtable organised by the French Embassy, which brought together creative associations and arts and culture journalists.
Kenya Film Commission Chairman Sudi Wandabusi addresses guests at MultiChoice Kenya’s 30th anniversary celebration held at MultiChoice Local Production Studios in Nairobi on April 30, 2025.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
He also expressed reservations about the event's historical management model, stating that the Kalasha’s heavy dependence on government funding was unsustainable.
“The way Kalasha has been funding recently is too constrained. The government cannot manage the Kalasha effectively on its own. We need more creative stakeholders and private sector players on board. I hope to engage them so that we can build synergies and make Kalasha better,” he said.
For years, the Commission has relied almost entirely on the exchequer to run Kalasha.
In the current 2025/26 financial year, KFC was allocated Sh166.5 million, a significant cut from the Sh442.7 million it received in the 2024/25 financial year and Sh310 million in the financial year before.
The cancellation of the event comes months after the Commission denied claims that it would not host Kalasha this year. KFC chief executive Timothy Owase dismissed the February reports, insisting preparations for Kalasha were underway.
“Resources are limited, and we have to tighten our belts to attain our respective mandates, but what I will urge you to do is to avoid rumours, as they are not helpful. From where I sit, the 2025 Kalasha Awards will happen. Planning is already underway with an official announcement to be made soon," Mr Owase said in an earlier interview in February.
KFC introduced an awarding scheme six years ago, with a total of Sh1.7 million allocated as prize money to the winners. During the 2019 Kalasha Awards edition, each winner received Sh50,000. The prize money was then doubled in the 10th edition.
Guests during the Kalasha Awards ceremony at the KICC in Nairobi on March 30, 2024.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
However, in December 2023, singer-cum-actress Sanaipei Tande posted on X, calling out former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba for failing to honour a monetary promise he made at the 2022 Kalasha Awards.
Ms Tande asked what happened to the Sh7.8 million she and her fellow 38 winners were promised by the former CS after winning in various categories.
Mr Namwamba had promised to double the winning prize for each category winner from the previous Sh100,000.
“The then CS made a proclamation that hadn’t been planned for in our books, putting us under immense pressure. We had planned for Sh100,000, not Sh200,000, so now we had to find ways to get the extra money. That situation put us under pressure and scrutiny,” said a former manager.
