Kenyan musicians are facing a deepening economic crisis, with declining royalties, shrinking performance opportunities and the collapse of traditional music revenue streams leaving many artists struggling to meet basic household needs, gospel musician Ngaruya Junior has said.
The musician has appealed directly to President William Ruto to intervene in what he described as a worsening crisis in the creative industry, warning that artists who once enjoyed a measure of financial security are now struggling to pay rent, keep their children in school and sustain their careers.
Ngaruya, who has positioned himself as an advocate for musicians, said the difficulties facing artists were contributing to frustration, stress and emotional distress within the creative community.
He spoke passionately about musicians who, despite being recognised public figures, were living far removed from the glamorous image associated with celebrity status.
> “The artists are crying. Return the joy of the artists and let them return to their work.”
His remarks point to a broader challenge confronting Kenya’s creative economy as the industry moves further away from physical music sales towards digital platforms, streaming and social media.
According to Ngaruya, the traditional sources of income that supported musicians for years have largely disappeared without being replaced by equally dependable revenue streams.
“CDs have died, VCDs have died and cassettes are useless,” he said, adding that income from platforms such as YouTube and Facebook was, in his view, insufficient to sustain many musicians.
The musician’s concerns also centred on royalty payments and the institutions responsible for administering artists’ rights and earnings.
He claimed that musicians who previously received royalties through copyright-related arrangements were no longer benefiting in the same way.
Ngaruya cited established musicians from different parts of the country as examples of artists who, he said, had previously earned income through royalties and performances but were now struggling.
He argued that the problem was not limited to one genre or region, insisting that musicians from Central Kenya, Ukambani, Kisii and Nyanza were all affected.
Ngaruya traced his latest appeal to a meeting he said musicians had with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki before the issue was subsequently taken to the President.
He recalled being among musicians invited to meet Prof Kindiki at his Karen office to discuss challenges affecting the creative industry.
According to Ngaruya, Kindiki promised to raise the concerns with President Ruto.
He said the intervention eventually resulted in musicians being invited to State House, where they were given an opportunity to present their grievances directly to the President.
Ngaruya recalled the President asking the artists to outline their problems, saying the Head of State listened and took notes during the meeting.
He further claimed that President Ruto subsequently directed that the concerns raised by musicians be addressed and assigned Dennis Itumbi to follow up on the issues.
But, according to Ngaruya, the anticipated changes have not materialised.
He said artists were still struggling despite the commitments made during the meeting.
“Even today, the singers are crying. They have not received anything,” he said.
Ngaruya urged the President to revisit the arrangements established to address the concerns of musicians and ensure that artists receive tangible support.
At the heart of his complaint is the question of royalties.
Ngaruya claimed that musicians were receiving little or no income from systems that were previously helping them earn money from their creative work.
He contrasted the current situation with previous periods when artists could rely on royalties, live performances, contracts and sales of physical music recordings.
The shift to digital platforms, he argued, has created new opportunities for distribution but has not necessarily translated into sustainable incomes for ordinary musicians.
He also raised concerns about artists working under contracts, claiming that some were experiencing similar financial difficulties.
“The contract people are crying right now,” he said, calling for greater transparency and stronger mechanisms to ensure artists benefit from the commercial use of their work.
His remarks highlight an issue that has increasingly become central to Kenya’s creative sector: how musicians can convert popularity, digital audiences and intellectual property into reliable livelihoods.
Ngaruya also took issue with the current administrative arrangements governing government support for artists.
He specifically mentioned Dennis Itumbi and Joshua Kutuny, blaming the structures associated with their offices for what he described as the deteriorating situation.
The allegations could not independently establish that either individual was personally responsible for the difficulties cited by the musician.
Ngaruya nevertheless called for a review of the current system and demanded that musicians be moved to an arrangement where they can receive more effective support.
He said artists had previously benefited from various groups and initiatives that provided some assistance but claimed that many of those structures had since disappeared or become ineffective.
He also called for greater engagement between government officials and artists, saying musicians needed an institution that would listen to their concerns and provide practical solutions.
The musician’s intervention comes against the backdrop of a rapidly changing music industry.
Physical sales of cassettes, CDs and VCDs have declined sharply, while digital streaming, social media and online video platforms have become the principal channels through which audiences consume music.
For established artists with large audiences, digital platforms can provide new sources of revenue. But for thousands of emerging and mid-level musicians, monetising online audiences remains difficult.
At the same time, live performances remain an important source of income, particularly for artists whose audiences are built around weddings, funerals, political events, church gatherings and other social occasions.
Ngaruya said reduced opportunities had left many artists without reliable income.
He painted a picture of musicians being forced to choose between maintaining their public image and meeting basic household obligations.
He claimed that some artists were facing eviction and that children of musicians were struggling to remain in school because their parents could no longer meet the costs.
Ngaruya said he would continue speaking out on behalf of musicians until he was convinced that their grievances were being addressed.
He maintained that his criticism was not driven by personal hostility towards government officials but by what he described as the suffering of fellow artists.
“I have no fight with you, but I must speak the truth because these people are crying,” he said.
The musician appealed to the President to restore what he described as the lost dignity and economic security of Kenyan artists.
He also urged government agencies dealing with the creative economy to engage musicians directly and establish clear mechanisms for addressing complaints over royalties, contracts, performances and other sources of income.
Ngaruya’s central message was that the country’s artists should not be judged by their fame alone.
Behind the celebrity image, he said, are workers trying to pay rent, educate children and build sustainable careers from their creative talents.
“Return the happiness of the artists,” he pleaded.
For him, the survival of Kenya’s music industry depends not merely on producing new songs but on building a system in which artists can earn a dependable living from their work.
And unless that happens, he warned, the apparent vibrancy of Kenya’s entertainment industry could continue to mask a much harsher reality for the people who create its music.
