Starehe Member of Parliament (MP) and musician Charles Njagua, aka Jaguar, has stated he is not in parliament to represent artistes but his constituents, the people of Starehe.
Jaguar was speaking on Radio Citizen, amid claims from local artistes that the Kigeugeu crooner has not been vocal in the representation of interests of creatives in the August House.
The MP insisted that his duty is to the people of Starehe because they will decide whether he gets a second term or head home.
“Mimi niko na duty moja ni kuserve watu wa Starehe na hao tu ndio watafanya aidha nirudi Bunge ama nitarudi nyumbani.
“(I have a duty and my duty is to serve the people of Starehe, they will determine whether I go back to Parliament or not),”Jaguar stated.
Jaguar went ahead to clarify that despite being an artiste he did not ask for votes from artistes but from the people of Starehe, making him answerable to them.
“Mimi ni msanii lakini sikuenda kuomba kura watu wa Starehe kama msanii na nasisitiza tena mimi sikuchaguliwa na wasanii yaani mimi si representative wa wasanii kule Bunge.
“(I am an artist but I didn’t ask for votes from artists, I asked for votes from the people of Starehe as an artist and I insist I wasn’t chosen by artists and I am not an artistes’ representative),”he
Jaguar said artists are yet to recognize and treat music as business saying artists at their peak don’t make any investments and when trouble knocks his names comes up.
Artistes need to rise to the occasion
The legislator went on to talk about the bill being pushed by comedian Eric Omondi for local media to play 75% local content.
Although Jaguar lauded the move, he pointed out that there are laws that already support the promotion of local content. He observed that artists are not willing to turn up to push for better policies in the industry.
“Nakumbuka kuna siku nimemobilize wasanii tukaenda mpaka Communications Authority sababu hao ndo wanaregulate content yenye inachezwa kwenye radio zetu lakini ukiita wasanii hawatakuja.
“(I remember there is a day I organized a match to the Communications Authority, because it’s the body which regulates how music is broadcasted, but when I called artistes to come along, they never turned up),” Jaguar lamented.
Asked whether it was possible to achieve the 75% local content proposal, Jaguar recommended for the decision to be made by all stakeholders – from the artistes themselves to the media owners, deejays and the Communication Authority of Kenya.
“With all players on the table then it would be possible to determine the needs of the different audiences and therefore reach a consensus of what percentage to be played in the local media,” he advised.