Kenyan musician, Anto Neosoul, was not impressed by remarks made by KFCB CEO, Ezekiel Mutua, on Monday evening, during Nation Media Group's Leadership Forum that was aired live from UoN.
The objective of the forum was to address the high rate of unemployment in the country and remedies that young people should employ, to make ends meet.
Mutua was explaining that young people shouldn't wait on government's help sometimes, citing that he promotes Kenyans involved in the creative industry, among them musicians, and even proceeded to give examples.
"I have mentioned names here and we know musicians here. Sauti Sol was not created by the government. Mercy Masika was not given support by the government.
"There are people who are using their talents and finding the niche in the market place on their own. Hard work pays," Mutua remarked.
NTV's Mark Masaai, who was one of the moderators of the discussion, challenged Mutua that Sauti Sol, the very group he had praised, had one of their songs gagged by KFCB.
"It is because the media perpetuates ignorance but we have never banned one Sauti Sol song. But that is what is on the record out there and you're now saying it on this forum, so allow me to correct it," Mutua clarified.
"We work with Sauti Sol, we work with Churchill, we work with Chipukeezy. We're working with creatives and supporting them and in fact, we're even standing in as collateral for youth who are creative. They bring a script to KFCB, we see if it can become a good film and we support them to go to Youth Fund to get money," Mutua spoke.
He urged the youth not to think about what the country can do for them, rather, think about what they can offer.
A seemingly angry Anto then stood to speak and bashed Mutua for his remarks and dropping the names of the entertainers he was working with.
"My biggest issue is that we're forgetting that a very high percentage of Kenyans are unemployed and we're presenting a CV to unemployed people and it sort of comes out like we're bragging," he commented.
The musician felt as though the participants were boasting about who they know and how they work, rather than proposing ideas to help young people.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Anto commented that it would be better if people in positions of power made steps to reach out to less known budding entrepreneurs, apart from established personalities.
He also challenged the established entrepreneurs, who have received help from those in power, to extend it to those coming up in the industry.
"What happens to these people who don't have names?" Anto asked.
He also gave his thoughts about the 8-4-4 system of education that has now been traced as the cause of the high rate of employment.
"You place a system on people and you want them to achieve their dreams with that system? And when that doesn't work out, you tell them they are lazy?" the musician wondered.
"Yet as policymakers, you are enjoying the perks of a broken system," he pointed out.
Gloria from SOMO, an NGO that promotes social enterprises in low-income areas, stated that government input would help in providing a framework for young people to grow their skills.
She challenged Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs CS, Margaret Kobia, who was in attendance, to put systems in place to help organisations that are promoting social enterprise among the youth
