Musician turned politician Charles Njagua ‘Jaguar’ has responded to claims he does not use his position in parliament to promote the welfare of fellow musicians.
Speaking on Mseto East Africa, Jaguar said he’s only responsible for the people that elected him as Starehe MP.
“I am an artist but I did not go to ask for votes as a musician, I was not elected by musicians neither am I their representative in Parliament,” he said.
“I was voted by Starehe people and they are the people I represent. There is a promise I gave Starehe people and I have to fulfill it.”
The ‘Kigeugeu’ hitmaker further slammed local musicians for expecting to be helped.
“I don’t know where artists got the mentality that they have to be helped. Some no longer take music as a business, they don’t even know what they are supposed to do. They misuse their money and when they mess they start saying Jaguar is not helping artists.”
The Starehe MP advised musicians to invest their earnings. “I want to tell them this, I was making over Sh1 million and I know there are artists I was with and they would make over Sh1 million,” he said.
Adding: “If you are not investing the money you get from your music, your work is only living large, and driving expensive cars, just know music is like any other business.”
At the same time, Jaguar said he supports Eric Omondi’s push for 75 percent airplay of local content on Kenyan media. He however noted Kenyan artistes are not producing enough content.
“If you look at what Eric brought in Parliament, it is something that is already in the law and I remember mobilising artists to go to CAK sometime back, but they did not show up,” he said.
“I got tired since I’m in politics and I am busy. We want our content to be played 75 percent but hate me or like me, our artists have not given us that percentage to be played.”
Jaguar added: “The same musicians don’t attend meetings with CAK and the media. Give good content and you will be given good recognition.”
