Sauti Sol band member Bien Aime Varaza has sensationally accused the government of hijacking the group’s idea dubbed Studio Mashinani.
The project aimed at enhancing availability of accessible recording studios and enhancement of self-employment opportunities for artists in the robust creative music industry was launched last Friday by Ministry of Information and Technology CS Joe Mucheru at KBC Komarock Studios off Kangundo Road in Machakos County.
According to Bien, Sauti Sol presented the idea to the President On December 29 2015. They were then instructed to give the proposal to the then Youth Fund chairman Bruce Odhiambo.
After presenting their proposal, they were surprised to wake up to news that the project was being launched by Jamaican artistes Richie Spice, Luciana and Etana.
He says he will reveal more details soon.
This was his full post:
“On December 29 2015 I had the honor to meet with His Excellency The President in Statehouse Mombasa. The agenda was Kenya Music Industry and Youth. Myself and my @sautisol brothers shared a proposal called STUDIO MASHINANI with His Excellency. It was an extensive project involving Music studios, community radio, ICT Centers and Libraries with the spirit of community service. We were further instructed to give the proposal to Bruce Odhiambo who was at the time Chair of the Youthfund office. We teamed up with Raphael Obonyo @raph_obonyo Cedric Kadenyi tighten the whole proposal with budgets and standard operating systems for the project. The Proposal was sent to the relevant parties. Only to wake up today a year and some months later to see the project being launched countrywide by a JAMAICAN ARTIST!!!!!! NOT EVEN A KENYAN!!!!!I am not in any way implying that The President has a hand in this because he deals with millions of things and this may just be one of those that he delegated. I feel so robbed. I plan to make everything public soon. Just so that the ones who want to can learn from it.”
