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Stand-up comedian Doug Mutai has voiced his opinion on the proposed 15% income tax on creatives in the industry, highlighting the need for the government to focus on development and capacity building rather than solely monetizing content.
Mutai, who has experience in both the Kenyan and Canadian comedy scenes, believes that equipping talented individuals with skills and training will ultimately lead to their success.
In an interview with Pulse Kenya during the Talanta Hela launch at State House, Mutai emphasized the importance of looking beyond immediate monetization and investing in the long-term growth of the creative sector.
He suggested the establishment of creative hubs across the country, where young and talented individuals can receive training and skills development before their work is monetized.
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"The government should look into capacity building that is training and development, there should be creative hubs across the country that talented young people can be trained and skilled even before it is monetized," Mutai stated.
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READ: 5 steps to join the Talanta Hela programme through the mobile app
Regarding the tax proposals targeting content creators, Mutai expressed his concerns about the current state of the creative industry.
He highlighted the heavy investments made by creators before they start earning returns, suggesting that the sector should be allowed to operate as a regular business before specific tax regulations are imposed.
"I think for now, because it's a small growing space, it would be great to just allow it to operate like a regular business before getting to the specifics because there's a lot that is invested for a long time before creators begin to make money from it," he explained.
Doug's sentiments were echoed by other creators such as Marya Okoth and singer KRG the Don who said the tax proposals would work if there is adequate government support.
READ: How comedians Jacky Vike, MC Jessy & Chipukeezy lit up the Talanta Hela Launch [Videos]