Dj Vnyash
President William Ruto announced on Monday that Kenya has officially submitted a bid to host the Grammy Awards and has already paid Ksh. 500 million as part of this effort. Speaking at a townhall meeting at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) to mark the second anniversary of the Hustler’s initiative, the president highlighted his administration’s focus on strengthening Kenya’s creative sector and positioning the country as a global entertainment hub.
Earlier in April, President Ruto shared that Kenya had been selected as one of four countries to collaborate with Grammy Global Ventures for the prestigious event. This partnership is aimed at boosting Kenya’s participation in the global creative industry.
During the announcement, the president also underscored the need to integrate performing arts into Kenya’s education system. He proposed developing specialized training programs for arts educators and emphasized initiatives like the Department of Creative Economy and Talanta Hela, which focus on nurturing and monetizing local talent.
President Ruto further mentioned future collaborations with Hollywood to support Kenya’s film industry and help local creatives tap into international markets.
Dennis Itumbi, Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, shared that his office had instructed the State Department to handle the payment for Kenya’s bid to host the African Grammy Awards. He added that the president’s visit to the USA, where he met with key figures in the creative industry, including Hollywood stars at Tyler Perry Studios, helped solidify efforts to grow Kenya’s creative economy and establish it as a global entertainment hub.
Itumbi also confirmed that a Grammy representative attending the townhall will meet with President Ruto later this week to discuss the matter. President Ruto affirmed that the Ksh. 500 million payment had already been made, expressing confidence that Kenya is on track to secure its role in this exciting initiative.
Additionally, Itumbi revealed that Kenya is also bidding to host the World Creative Economy Conference in 2027, a move that would make the country the first African nation to host the prestigious event.
