admin_county
March 26, 2019
Nakuru County recognized in Kalasha Awards Gala Dinner
Nakuru is a highly cosmopolitan county, its diversity in culture by the virtue of its flora and fauna makes it a melting pot, representing the true face of Kenya. The county is richly endowed with attraction sites that makes the county a premier tourist destination thereby offering unlimited opportunities for unforgettable filming experience.
Last night, Nakuru County as the county in focus for the Kalasha International TV and Film Market 2019 hosted a dinner party in conjunction with partners from the hotel industry in the county. Ole-Naibon, a film recently shot in Hells Gate National Park and which about a fortnight ago had premiered in Nakuru was screened.
During her presentation in the gala dinner, the Chief Officer responsible for Culture and Art Tume Abduba told the gathering that the County Government of Nakuru has put in place measures to support the County’s Cultural and Creative Industries as they are becoming a vital tool in the empowerment of the people more so the youth.
‘Cultural and creative industries have become a vital force in accelerating human development. These industries are driven by intelligence, hence more efficient in improving quality of lives than most of the industries considered prestigious such as automobile’ said Tume.
Adding, ‘As per a recent study by UNESCO together with stakeholders, Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) revenues exceed those of telecom services and employ more people than the car industry of Europe, Japan and the US combined (29.5-million vs. 25-million)’.
She noted that the County Government of Nakuru has done the following to promote creative economy in the county: positioning the county as a premier hub for films through initiatives such as supporting audio visual arts through initiatives such as the recent filming of Ole-Naibon at Hells Gate National Park; partnership with the Lake international pan African Film Festivals, last year the county won an award in this.
Enhancing community participation in the County’s CCI through the already signed MOU between the County Government of Nakuru and National Museums of Kenya and also the one underway with the Gikuyu Tene Cultural Association. Stakeholders engagement activities, pacts with universities for development of performing arts as well as development of cultural and arts facilities.
‘Nakuru County, we are aware that economic planning as envisioned in the constitution of Kenya is people-centric, and for it to be sustainable and long lasting we have to infuse our culture in it through creativity’, said Tume.
Noting this is the reason why they County Government of Nakuru through its Directorate of Gender, Culture and Social Services has plans aimed at establishing an Enterprise Fund Bill which is meant to avail funds for artists’ empowerment at 3%.