Nairobi — The Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi, has lashed out at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over what he termed a "disgraceful and dangerous" attack on Kenyan musicians.
In a strongly worded statement, Itumbi accused Gachagua of attempting to weaponize the arts for political vendettas after the former DP allegedly urged Kenyans to boycott artists who recently met with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
The meeting, which focused on uplifting the creative sector, sparked backlash from Gachagua, who claimed the musicians had aligned with rival political forces.
Itumbi condemned Gachagua's comments as "tyrannical" and "dictatorial," warning that such utterances threaten the unity and freedom of expression enshrined in Kenya's democracy.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
"Let us be clear: Kenyan musicians are not your personal choir, Mr. Gachagua. You do not own their voices, their choices, or their convictions," said Itumbi.
"If you want to reinvent yourself as a dictator-in-waiting, that is your political burden. But you will not-you shall not-use artists as the soundtrack to your spiral into authoritarianism."
According to Itumbi, Gachagua's call for musicians to be unfollowed and denied event bookings based on their political associations is not only economically reckless but also spiritually dishonest.
"For the first time in our nation's history, the creative sector has a dedicated State Department, structured policy backing, and government programmes designed to secure artists' rights, amplify their earnings, and anchor the creative economy in national development," Itumbi stated.
He reminded Gachagua of his past remarks: "When people cannot speak, let them sing." "Now that the songs don't flatter you, you reach for the mute button? That's not leadership. That's hypocrisy--loud, proud, and unmasked," he added.
Directly addressing musicians, Itumbi urged them not to bow to political pressure. "Your gift is your power, and your platform is your purpose," he said.
He further called on promoters and event organizers to reject political blackmail and stand in solidarity with artists.
"You can rant. You can shout. But you cannot erase an industry simply because it refuses to clap for you," he told Gachagua. "You don't get to blacklist talent because it doesn't worship at your altar."
The response comes after Gachagua accused the musicians of betraying the Mount Kenya community and calling for a total boycott of their work.
Speaking during a public event in Murang'a, Gachagua claimed the artists' visit to Kindiki's Karen residence on March 23 angered local elders, who have now demanded that the musicians issue a formal apology or face a sweeping economic and social boycott.
The musicians mentioned include some of the most prominent names in the Kikuyu music scene--Samidoh Muchoki, Karangu Muraya, Ben Githae, Jose Gatutura, DJ Fatxo, Sammy Irungu, Martin Wajanet, and Ngaruiya Junior.
Gachagua alleged that each artist was paid KSh50,000 to attend the meeting, accusing them of placing personal gain above the interests of the community.
"They were given KSh50,000 each. These are the same people who continue to frustrate our region, yet our artists go sit with them. If they don't apologize to the community, we must unfollow them and stop supporting their music," he said.
He urged entertainment venues to stop booking performances by the musicians and called on fans to boycott their songs and social media pages.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"The elders have resolved that we stop listening to their music. Clubs that host them should be avoided, and their followers on social media should unfollow them until they apologise," Gachagua added.
In response, Deputy President Kindiki defended the meeting, saying the artists had come to seek government support in dismantling exploitative cartels in the creative industry and ensuring fair compensation for their work.
"Musicians and others in the creative space are seeking government intervention to ensure exploitative cartels are removed and their talent is more rewarding," Kindiki stated.
He also condemned political figures who have historically misused artists for personal praise or to produce divisive music in exchange for token payments.
