After spending a few days last month distributing food to hungry Turkana residents, singer Esther Akoth, aka Akothee, is poised for a plum State job.
Akothee, famous for her afro-beat songs that are usually accompanied by explicit dance moves, will be named Art, Culture and Heritage Cabinet secretary in an impending Cabinet reshuffle.
The docket to be hived from the Sports ministry, now headed by Amina Mohammed, aims at exploiting the creative industry to enhance youth employment in the country.
The 36-year-old, who refers to herself as ‘Madam Boss’ will now be a real boss lady if Parliament committee on Appointments approves her nomination and the Assembly endorses its report.
According to sources in State House, President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to make changes in his Cabinet to bring new blood and offload some CSs indicted in various corruption scandals.
The changes come a few days after Uhuru visited his deputy William Ruto in his Harambee House Annex office.
Akothee’s inclusion in the government would be interesting given she was recently at loggerheads with the government’s Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB).
KFCB chair Ezekiel Mutua, popularly referred to as the moral cop, criticised Akothee after an explicit dance video emerged on social media terming it “filthy”.
Finding favour from the President, Akothee will be mandated with making the creative industry a source of employment for growing number of youths, generate income and increase export earnings.
The Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) indicates that despite the potential of the Kenyan entertainment and media sector, its performance is still below par. Kenya has put in place policy and institutional initiatives that can propel the creative economy.
The culture and heritage policy, for instance, promotes the production and use of national attire and adornment aimed at contributing to economic development of communities.
The policy also calls for teaching of visual arts at all levels of the education system, which has not been effectively implemented.
The guideline calls for the establishment of an advisory National Council of Culture and Heritage and Community Culture Centres, which are yet to be actualised.
Globally, the creative economy is considered a cornerstone of economic growth. Creative economies emphasise on creativity, originality and the abilities of the creative. In Kenya, 60 per cent of the population is made of the youth who are energetic, creative and socially connected.
However, it is estimated that 12 per cent of 40 million Kenyans are unemployed, 70 per cent of whom are the youth.