People don’t even have food- Huddah tells Uhuru after allocating Sh200 Million to Artistes

Beautypreneur Huddah Monroe has reached out to President Uhuru Kenyatta lamenting that most Kenyans don’t have food, yet he is allocating money to cushion local artistes against the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Monroe argued that the Head of State should have considered providing food for Kenyans living in slums before directing authorities to pay entertainers.

“Almost $1 million directed to entertainers while people don’t even know where to get their next meal with the lock down! I pity my country PEOPLE Kenya is HELL. Can you imagine not even directed to healthcare or food for those in slums,” reads Huddah’s message to President Uhuru.

People don’t even have food - Huddah tells Uhuru after Monday's speech Pulse Live Kenya

Sh200 Million to Local Artistes

Ms Monroe’s public outcry comes hours after President Kenyatta announced that all Kenyan artistes will be earning a total of Sh200 Million starting this month.

He added that over Sh2 Billion will being going into to the pockets of Kenyan artists this year.

“I am pleased to announce that the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, in collaboration with Kenya Copyright Board, Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) have established a framework to ensure full transparency for artist’s earnings. My Administration has projected that a total of Ksh. 200m every month will be paid to musicians through the system and other platforms. This translates to over Ksh. 2 billion going into the pockets of Kenyan artists. These payments will begin this week in line with the pledge I made in January,” said President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Willy Paul’s daring message to Uhuru after announcing that Kenyan artists will be paid Sh200 million Pulse Live Kenya

President Kenyatta further directed the Ministry of Sports, Culture, & Heritage to avail additional Sh100 Million for artists, actors and musicians during the period of the covid-19 pandemic.

Willy Paul's take

On the other hand, Singer Willy Paul said that the Head of State had directed money meant for Kenyan artistes to the same people who have been paying them peanuts.

“Fortunately, or unfortunately, you’ve just directed the money to the same people that’ have been paying us peanuts. What we want now is transparency, they should tell us how they intend to distribute the money...what system are these boards using to pay us?? They should know that we have our eyes on them. And this time tutakua nao Kwa hio meza tukifanya maamuzi pamoja,” reads part of Willy’s post.