Kenyan Comedian Eric Omondi Leads Protest Against the Dominance of Foreign Music in the Country

The global rise of Africa’s urban pop music scene has been a source of pride for the continent, but in Kenya it has also raised concerns that local musicians are being squeezed out.

Some in the industry say that new Kenyan talent is not being given the chance to break through.

One radical solution is to raise the quota for Kenyan music on radio stations from the current 40%, agreed in 2014, to 75% of the tracks aired.

The drive is being led by popular local comedian, Eric Omondi, who recently staged an eye-catching protest outside parliament while enclosed in a glass box that was emblazoned with the words “play 75% Kenyan”.

Several MPs expressed support for his push, including John Kiarie, a former comedian, who later urged parliament to “unlock” the potential of Kenya’s creative economy sector by approving the proposal.

“I’m pushing for more upcoming talents to be featured on radio and TV. I want to ensure our youth get airplay and build their brands and become self-sufficient,” Omondi made it clear.

But the current figure of 40% is already a hefty amount and there are questions as to why, given this exposure, Kenyan musicians continue to struggle.

One of the difficulties is that more airplay has not translated into more revenue for the artists.