'Kenyan artists not your subjects', content creators tell Gachagua

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua address the press on 19th May 2025 at his home in Karen.[Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

Digital content creators have raised concerns over remarks made by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in which he swayed the public to boycott songs by musicians who visited the sitting DP Kithure Kindiki.

The musicians, in a statement by their chairman Bob Ndolo on Sunday, termed the remarks as a threat to the private entertainment business.

“These statements are not only regressive- they are a direct affront to the constitutional freedoms of expression, creativity, and enterprise,” stated Ndolo.

“Such pronouncements reek of dictatorship, intolerance, and a disturbing sense of entitlement to control thought and culture in Mt.Kenya and beyond”.

 The artists were responding to remarks made by Gachagua on Sunday where he called on the artists to apologise to the community or risk boycott of their songs.

“I stayed up late with the elders and we resolved that all those artists should apologise, if they fail to, then we stop listening to their music. All the entertainment joints they get invited to, there should be no more invites,” said Gachagua during a church service on Sunday.

Gachagua called the artists betrayers of the community for accepting DP Kindiki’s invitation.

“We are so saddened that they have become betrayers of the community. They were invited to Karen by Mr. Moneybags and told to come and convince you people that SHA is functional, roads are being built, and the education system is running smoothly,” he added.

Gachagua went ahead, inciting the public to withdraw from entertainment joints where any of the musician is invited.

He urged the public to unfollow the artists who fail to apologise to the community and called on club owners to stop inviting them for entertainment.

However, the content creators have condemned Gachagua’s remarks noting that artists freedom is no privilage to be granted at will.

They have instead urged their members to continue composing bold content, and eductae community on critical national programmes.

“To Rigathi Gachagua,Kenyan artists are not your subjects. They will not bow to your tune, nor will they seek your permission to speak”.