National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah has called on Deputy President Kithure Kindiki to ensure that musicians are protected.
Speaking on Sunday, Ichung’wah said the Deputy President must also make sure their businesses are guarded because they are not any different from the businesses they own as leaders.
“We want to ask the Deputy President, protect our musicians and guard their businesses because work is work. Their jobs are businesses just like mine and yours,” he said.
Ichung’wah’s remarks followed calls by former Deputy
President Rigathi Gachagua to have some of the musicians from the Mt Kenya
region boycotted and not invited for shows after they held a meeting with
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
The Kikuyu MP warned leaders against accusing and threatening musicians just because they met persons who do not subscribe to
their ideology.
He added that the country must not allow any form of incitement
against musicians, regardless of where they come from, insisting that it is
wrong.
“We as leaders should not accuse musicians of wrongdoing
when they meet the Deputy President, that is wrong and we must not allow incitement
against our children who are working as musicians, be they from Mt Kenya or any
other part of the country,” Ichung’wah stated.
Kindiki, on his part, said that he will protect musicians and
ensure an end to exploitation by middlemen and Collective Management Organisations
(CMOs).
He reiterated his commitment to making sure they get what their
share is rightfully.
“I will continue to advocate for these musicians to get
their rights. Why should a musician who God has given talent like a footballer and a comedian, but our musicians continue to be oppressed by brokers and phone
companies and those who use their Skiza? They must get their rights,” Kindiki
said.
Gachagua had on Sunday asked the musicians who visited
Kindiki at his Karen residence to apologise to the community. He said this was
agreed after discussions with Mt Kenya elders.
Speaking at AIPCA Kihoya in Murang’a County, Gachagua stated
that these artists are traitors to the community.
“Our artists and musicians have become traitors to the
community. They were told to come and lie to you that SHA is working, roads are
being built, and the education sector is doing well,” Gachagua said.
The former DP said that should they fail to, the community
should stop listening to their music and entertainment joints should stop
inviting them to perform.
He further directed the people to unfollow those who will
not apologise on social media platforms.
“I sat with elders yesterday and they told me to announce
that those artists must apologise and if they don’t, we will stop listening to
their music,” he said.