MINISTRY OF SPORTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE

FOREWORD
Music is a powerful vehicle for economic growth, youth empowerment, culture, education,

entertainment and for governments to drive a development agenda.

The Music industry contributes enormously to all three pillars of Kenya Vision 2030, the
social, political and economic. In addition to being the leading sector of the Kenyan
Creative Economy, this industry also plays a significant role in facilitating and mediating discourses in both the public and private sectors.
The Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO, 2003)
calls on state parties to adopt a general policy aimed at promoting the function of
the intangible cultural heritage in society and to integrate the safeguarding of such
heritage into planning and programming.

The Constitution of Kenya (2010) makes a strong case for the promotion of music as
a form of cultural expression and protection of musicians from unlawful deprivation.
However, strong guidelines are needed to ensure that the above functions are realized.

Music contributes towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goal number one that focuses on eradication of poverty. The Vision 2030 seeks to
achieve a sustained economic growth of 10% per year over the next 10 years. The
music industry fits well in both the Economic and Social Pillars of the Vision due to
its contribution towards improved economic growth, youth employment, and promotion of national cohesion.
A section of the industry is currently regulated by The Copyright (Amendment) Act,

The only existing guiding government document in the music industry is the
1984 Report of the Presidential National Music Commission. This Policy, therefore,
comes at a critical moment when the industry is in dire need of streamlining. Consequently, the recommendations therein, focus on addressing the challenges within the industry.
The Government, through my ministry and its agencies, has worked together with
the stakeholders to consolidate the gains that have been made in the sector. This has
resulted in the National Music Policy that seeks the development of a sustainable
music industry in Kenya. The Policy acknowledges the complementary dimensions
of the creative economy, knowledge economy and service economy, and therefore,
seeks to enhance its competitive capacity and its socio-economic impact. Ultimately,
the National Music Policy will provide our music industry with a competitive edge
regionally and globally. This will provide the much needed framework for anchoring
and propelling growth, development and operations within the industry.
Amb. (Dr). Amina C. Mohammed, EGH, CAV
Cabinet Secretary,
Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage