Ruto: Content creators to get Sh30bn worth of State adverts

Piece by: SHARON MWENDE

14 June 2023

• Speaking on Tuesday during the closing ceremony of YouTube Black Voices at the State House, Nairobi, Ruto said this will amount to Sh30 billion.

• The President urged the ministry to work with content creators, noting that the five-point plan of the Kenya Kwanza government rely heavily on the digital space.

President William Ruto has said approximately ten per cent of government funds spent on adverts will go to content creators.

Speaking on Tuesday during the closing ceremony of YouTube Black Voices at the State House, Nairobi, Ruto said this will amount to Sh30 billion.

"I have told the Ministry of ICT, the PS is here, that of the Sh300 billion we spend every year on advertising, ten per cent at least should go to local content creators," he said.

The President urged the ministry to work with content creators, noting that the five-point plan of the Kenya Kwanza government rely heavily on the digital space.

He pointed out that the government was intentional in including digital superhighway and creative economy in its five points.

The others include agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) economy, housing and settlement, healthcare and environment and climate change.

Reiterating that the government is moving to digitalise its services, Ruto said he will be launching the programme by the end of June.

He said the number of digitalised services are now at 5,000.

"We believe that around the digital platforms, you guys will have an opportunity with your digital expertise being content creators to help us advertise on that platform," Ruto said.

The President asked the content creators to "think big, think smart" so the government could use their accounts.

On the proposed taxation on their income, Ruto backed calls that the government should "go slow" on the taxation plans.

"But you guys are making money. But anyway tutaongea. We are willing to relax some of the issues but you know we are making huge investments in this space," Ruto said.

"If this is the future of work, it is the future of where we are also going to get revenues to run government," he added.

The President said they were reducing taxes on digital content and telephoning and making it easier for people in digital space for certain works.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was in attendance at the event.