Kenyans laugh off MCSK's proposal to pay Ksh.1,250 to artists for 2023

While speaking to the press Sunday night, Dr Mutua said that a total of Ksh. 20 million would be disbursed equally to the 16,000 members of the music body.

Revealing that the monies were set to be sent out by Jamhuri Day on December 12 last year, Mutua said that after consultations with the ministry in charge, the funds would now be available on January 25.

"We were supposed to do this on Jamhuri Day but we had other engagements. The cabinet secretary told us to have structures and on January 25, we will disburse millions of shillings,” he said.

He also added that the Ksh. 20 million will be the first batch of disbursement as they await more payments from other platforms like Google.

The monies, he said, will be distributed in two ways in general and scientific ways.

“General way is where so long as you are a member, we give general rates so that every musician receives something. Then we have a scientific way where we have software that shows where your music was played."

The news, however, failed to impress Kenyans and artists alike many of whom lambasted the meagre amounts of money to be paid out, calling it negligible and worthless for any artist worth their salt.

"So Ksh.1,250 per musician? As in, one thousand two hundred and fifty bob? That's the money the government is planning to give to someone who has spent hundreds of thousands of shillings shooting music videos, recording music, paying for logistics, paying for management and video vixens, etc, etc. After all that hassle, we now need to pay him less than 10 dollars for their efforts! This is preposterous!" one X user said.

Another user @georgeodhiambo said," "Just shut up man! You should be ashamed of going on NATIONAL TELEVISION to boast of such embarrassing figures. That's merely Ksh. 1250 per head! What am I supposed to do with such an amount? Buy KPLC tokens? Or just buy a fancy rope and kill myself!?"

Genge pioneer Hubert Nakirare, popularly known as Nonini, also chimed in, simply saying, "Sad sana... Poleni wasanii wenzangu."

On his part, economist Reuben Wambui reasoned: "The Pareto 80/20 principle applies to most things in life. If top 20% artists (think Sauti Sol, etc) receive 80% royalties, that's 3.2k pple sharing 16m. That's 5K avg and the rest KES 312 (4m divide 12.8k). If the best get only 5K even after applying 80/20 formula, something is wrong!"