In a significant departure from the norm, Kenya’s inaugural State of the Film Industry Summit convened with a plea from the speakers: to avoid complaints. From Ezekiel Onyango, Chair of the Kenya Film and Television Professional Association (KFTPA), who were the organisers of the event, to industry stakeholders who answered the call to discuss the film industry. Independent of government influence, this summit had every intention to create a space for constructive planning to take centre stage.
Even the keynote speaker, Hon. Ababu Namwamba, Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Arts and Sports (now the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs and Sports following the cabinet reshuffle), underscored the importance of avoiding complaints and instead focusing on positive discussions. This shift in perspective, whether the result of backroom consensus or the general feeling within the industry, set the stage for much-needed and sincere conversations that this industry desperately needs. But lest we forget, talk (however charged and good-intentioned) without proper solutions is just noise.
Here are our six biggest takeaways from the summit that took place on 29 September.
Long-format content like telenovelas have significant economic impact
The summit commenced with a comprehensive examination of the long-form content market like telenovelas that continue to dominate the industry, with insights from Njoki Muhoho, Vice Chair of the KFTPA. With a career spanning over two decades and currently producing Maisha Magic Plus’ telenovela Salem, now at over 300 episodes, Muhoho’s presentation served as a stark reminder of the significant economic impact that shows like hers have on the Kenyan economy, as well as the substantial costs involved in ensuring smooth operation of such a mammoth production.
On challenges, Muhoho highlighted the glaring scarcity of seasoned and competent professionals within our nascent industry, making an impassioned plea for the need to establish infrastructures that nurture and mentor emerging talents. She also emphasised the need for ingenious new fundraising strategies that would wean the industry off its reliance on broadcasters’ ‘favours’. But perhaps most important of all, Muhoho called for infrastructure to improve the welfare of Kenyan creatives plagued by substance abuse and debilitating mental issues.
It’s a MultiChoice versus Netflix race (and no, adaptations may not be going anywhere soon)
The summit also witnessed the participation of the two major content players in the market, MultiChoice and Netflix. Timothy Okwaro, the Executive Head of Programming at MultiChoice, delivered an insightful presentation, outlining the strides that MultiChoice has taken over the years to nurture, produce, and distribute Kenyan content. This included initiatives such as MultiChoice Talent Factory, responsible for churning out the next generation of filmmakers; and their contribution of more than 600 hours of local content through their streaming platforms and satellite programming. MultiChoice, armed with a budget of $7million allocated for annual output within the industry, has positioned itself as a frontrunner in the race to capture the attention of Kenyan audiences.
Netflix, represented by Shola Sanni, Director of Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, echoed similar sentiments about their commitment to local content. However, their presentation largely mirrored their standard marketing and policy strategy without offering any concrete and tangible plans to increase Kenya’s footprint on their platform beyond acquiring distribution rights for finished projects.
Both MultiChoice and Netflix were put on the spot for the rising overdependence on adaptations and telenovelas, and their elusive responses only postponed a critical discussion that the industry believes needs addressing in the future.
Taxation on foreign telenovelas to boost proposed film fund
The government, through its agencies, also had its say, shedding light on the policies in place to support the industry’s growth. David Omwoyo, Chair of the Media Council, discussed the challenges posed by the changing landscape of digitization, AI and shortened attention spans, which have led to the collapse of traditional monetization models within the media and broadcasting sectors. He called for the need for innovative methods to bring content to the people, likening the current situation to “winking at a girl in the dark.”
Denis Itumbi, the Creative Economic Advisor for the Office of the President, with the stride of the government of the day, used the opportunity to answer a question on revitalising the national broadcaster KBC to announce taxation of foreign telenovelas on our local channels as a major source for the proposed film fund that is aimed to boost local content.
Itumbi, however, did seem to understand the role of the government in the film industry, both as an instrument to create policies, laws, and incentives, and as a competitor. There is widespread mistrust of the government in all industries, including the film industry. Policies that generate wealth for the film industry are commendable, but that wealth is only worthwhile if it is distributed equitably to all those who contributed to the industry, and if it is invested back into the industry. The government has promised to further engage industry stakeholders to gather input on a proposed draft of the Creative Economy Act, which includes provisions for the aforementioned film fund. And there is hope that these forums will further open the space to delve into the detailed framework for implementing these policies, which is as critical as the grand gestures they represent.
The plight of actors and crew cannot be ignored any longer
When the industry workforce was given a chance at the podium, represented by Andrew Mageto for crew, Nini Wacera for actors, and Bob Nyanja speaking for the industry as a whole, the “no complaints” consensus had to be paused. Punctuating the summit by shedding light on long-standing issues that have been swept under the rug over the years, these folks took the stage with every intention to make their voices heard. The audience, particularly actors and crew members, responded with fervour to their plight, charging the atmosphere with the rage of a neglected workforce. Mageto’s assertion, “If you pay peanuts, you attract monkeys,” resonated deeply with a crowd all too familiar with concerns regarding low wages, delayed payments, bullying and harassment, deplorable working conditions on set, inadequate welfare, systemic arrogance within the upper echelons of the industry, and the blacklisting and ridicule that comes with complaining.
Nini described the Kenyan acting scene as a full-scale battlefield, decrying insufficient support structures, inadequate measures for artistic rights and intellectual property rights enforcement, and the lack of a legal and policy framework to protect actors. “The Kenyan actor basks in the glory of fame, but there’s no fortune to accompany it,” she said.
Addressing the Ministry, Nini called for the need for welfare officers assigned to productions to investigate conduct on sets and to randomly visit sets to familiarise themselves with the plight of the cast and crew and structures in place to facilitate and police standard codes, practices, and contractual obligations.
These same grievances have plagued actors and crew for years and have echoed through every forum where the voices of these vital players have been heard. Although the summit aimed to be solution-oriented, it became clear that any envisioned solutions would be short-lived if these systemic issues remained unaddressed.
Need for improved labour regulations and creating an investor-friendly industry
Hon. Ababu Namwamba, Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Arts, and Sports, by his own admission, attended the summit as an objective observer. He acknowledged the dire state of the film industry, stating, “The film sector has been treated badly, it has been relegated to the back burner, and it has not been given the attention and investment it deserves.”
His recent visit to California, where he had the privilege of visiting the headquarters of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, gave him first-hand experience of the prestige and respect the creative industry commands as a vital economic engine. He reiterated the need for improved labour regulations and effective marketing and positioning of the industry as a profitable and investor-friendly sector.
To bridge government and industry, the Cabinet Secretary officially declared KFTPA as the nexus, a move that will streamline communication and collaboration between the two entities. For years, the Kenya Film Classification Board has primarily shaped the narrative of the film industry, often focusing on regulatory costs and moral sensitivities that have otherwise strayed from the quality of content in Kenyan films. The inclusion of the KFTPA at the table brings hope that future discussions will truly represent the voices of creatives, ensuring that bureaucratic sensibilities do not dominate the discourse.
A reserved optimism of the future
“I cannot do this alone; we cannot do this alone as a committee, so we will try to call upon you to labour with us, to try and set a direction for change,” Ezekiel Onyango ended his closing remarks. After presenting the newly elected committee of the KFTPA, he leads it for the next year. He acknowledged that nothing can change in a year, and it will be up to the industry, with the leadership of the time, to continue with the discussions squeezed into a day.
For now, instructed by the Cabinet Secretary to return with progress reports, Onyango has a year to foster a community that, as he puts it, is “patriotic and its brother’s keeper,” a community that will continue with the intentions of this summit after his term comes to an end.
