Stars shine at Kalasha Awards amid calls for industry reform

Kenya’s creative industry took centre stage at the 14th edition of the Kalasha International Film and TV Awards in a dazzling night that fused celebration, activism and bold promises for the future of film.

Held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Saturday, the ceremony marked more than a celebration of craft; it became a historic milestone for the sector. For the first time in the awards’ history, a sitting Head of State attended.

But beyond the glamour, the night showcased the growing influence of regional talent, persistent structural challenges in the creative economy, and a renewed state push to position the arts as a major economic driver.

Little-known actress Mitchelle Lemuya emerged as one of the night’s standout figures, clinching Best Actress in Film for her role in Nawi. Her emotional acceptance speech drew loud applause as she dedicated the win to her home county.

“This is not just my win; it’s Turkana’s win. From Turkana to the world, our stories matter,” she said.

Turkana County ranked among the biggest winners, scooping four awards across categories, while Mombasa County also posted a strong showing. The results reflected a shifting industry landscape, with talent from historically marginalised regions increasingly challenging Nairobi’s dominance.

Among other winners, June Njenga took Best Actress in a TV Drama for Big Girl Small World, while Omar Hamza was named Director of the Year for Sukari.

Veteran actor John Sibi-Okumu won Best Lead Actor in a TV Drama for Kash Money, which also secured Best TV Drama. Nawi dominated several technical categories, while The People Shall won Best Documentary.

The most poignant moment came during President Ruto’s address, when he offered a public apology to his daughter, Chepng’etich, for previously discouraging her from pursuing film.

“One more thing, I must this evening apologise to my daughter, Chepng’etich. She had asked me after Form Four if she would like to do film, and I said no. Watching what I have watched this evening, it was a mistake on my part. I should have allowed her to do film. She went on to do interior design, but I am sure if she is watching me somewhere, she now knows I said she was right, I was not,” he said.

Held under the theme Innovation Meets Tradition: Reinventing Storytelling One Frame at a Time, the awards spotlighted socially conscious filmmaking while exposing ongoing industry challenges. Piracy, limited funding and weak monetisation structures dominated discussions.

Veteran filmmaker John Karanja, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, used his speech to address these concerns. “Funding has always been a challenge. The industry serves so many people, yet many creatives are unable to produce quality work because of financial limitations,” he noted.

In one of the night’s most striking moments, the Actors Guild staged a live performance depicting the economic hardships creatives face, from exploitative production systems to poor social media monetisation and limited investment in post-production.

Responding to these concerns, President Ruto announced plans to establish a new directorate integrating gaming, music, fashion and film, and urged Parliament to fast-track the Creative Economy Bill 2026.

He also pledged to increase the sector’s budget allocation to Sh1 billion.

Each Kalasha Award winner, he said, will receive an additional Sh300,000 government top-up, raising total prize money per category to Sh500,000.

The President also pledged Sh2 million to John Karanja in recognition of his contribution to Kenyan cinema.

The Government further outlined plans to align filmmaking with national development priorities. New Kalasha categories focusing on Affordable Housing and the Social Health Authority (SHA) will each carry a Sh10 million prize.

Upcoming affordable housing projects are also expected to include fully equipped creative studios to support young filmmakers.

Efforts to combat piracy received renewed attention, with Presidential Special Projects Head Dennis Itumbi announcing that a comprehensive anti-piracy roadmap will be unveiled within two weeks.

“Protecting intellectual property is key to ensuring creatives earn from their work,” he said.

State House expressed interest in hosting the 2027 Kalasha Awards, seen as part of efforts to align the creative arts sector with the Government’s broader agenda.