Veteran musician-turned-politician Mr Reuben Kigame has said he plans to set up a music academy in his home county of Vihiga to nurture young talents.
But before this is done, the popular guitarist and musician is calling on the county administration to first establish a talent centre that will pave the way for the entry of the music academy.
Mr Kigame says he wants to nurture home-grown talent that can grow to international status.
He laments that he has been nurturing talents outside his home turf, a culture he feels is disfranchising his ancestral home as his is largely benefiting others in Eldoret, where he is resident, and Nairobi.
“I largely stay in Eldoret where I started a music academy that is nurturing talents of people up to international status,” said Mr Kigame.
“Why is the academy not in my home county of Vihiga?” he posed adding that he has on several occasions asked the local administration to start the talent centre that will now open doors for the academy he is longing to establish.
“I am doing a lot of things in Eldoret and Nairobi. I now want to do the same in my ancestral county, too,” he said.
He mainly writes and produces sacred songs and plays a guitar, and has done this for long without losing his fans.
His tracks
Some of his popular tracks include; Huniachi (featuring Sifa Voices, Gloria Muliro), Njoo Sasa, Mungu Mtakatifu, Heri Siku Moja and Wewe Ni Bwana.
Others are Usifadhaike, Sweet Bunyore (in reference to his native subtribe) and Alfa na Omega among others.
In Eldoret, he runs a music academy complete with a recording studio and a radio station.
After years into the gospel industry, Mr Kigame ventured into politics in 2013 during the onset of devolution.
In 2013, he unsuccessfully contested the Vihiga governorship.
He, however, did not make an attempt in the 2017 polls, saying he chose to keep off after the current Governor Dr Wilber Ottichilo contested.
He said he handed Dr Ottichilo his manifesto to include it in his development agenda for the county.
Dr Ottichilo said his administration is planning to start a talent centre that will be used to nurture talents in the county.
He also said his administration started music extravaganza that is held every year to keep the youth active and showcase their talents.
