Kenyan govt plans to scrap import tax on music gear

This announcement was made on Friday by President Uhuru Kenyatta during the Kenya Music Festival winners' concert at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County.

“I am going to ensure that music instruments are duty-free in order to promote our music and arts," he said. "Many schools would like to introduce music classes but are unable to do so due to the import duty that makes the equipment too expensive for them."

Kenyatta said that import duty on music equipment had kept many institutions from supporting young talent in the music industry. He said instruments such as pianos, trumpets, tambourines and saxophones would soon be easily accessible and affordable for Kenyan educational institutions.

Kenya currently applies duties of the East African Community's (EAC) common external tariff, with customs duty on music equipment levied at 10% per kilogram.

Kenyan singer and multi-instrumentalist Makadem told Music In Africa that many musicians had been unable to reach their full potential because instruments were too expensive to buy or rent.

“I think the president got it well for the creatives in the music sector,” he said. “The music business is a very serious moneymaker in Kenya. Local artists need to have their tools of trade, especially the new entrants who can hardly afford equipment."

“If successful, this will be a breather mostly for us artists who would love to own backline or even a home studio to record demos or produce ourselves."

Makadem said the current import tax had made it difficult for music promoters and event organisers to acquire decent sound.

“Most music institutions would love to have their own equipment, even pubs and restaurants. Rehearsal spaces are also very expensive because the equipment provided is expensive. So doing away with the tax would lessen the burden on the creatives and create quality growth.”

However, not everyone has welcomed Kenyatta’s announcement. A few Facebook users argue that there are other sectors such as health that could benefit more if import tax was scraped on their goods.

“I don’t see how hungry people would purchase musical wherevers. First exempt tax on the basic primary commodity and on drugs if you care,” one user wrote.

Another said: “Drugs and medical equipment should have been the best gift to Kenyan masses."

Asked what he thought about the comments, Makadem said: “This is called ignorance. This is unbelievable because mostly the public consumes our music for free so why don’t they care? Do they think it grows on trees? Most people in Kenya underrate artists and this should stop if we want to grow this sector at all.”

This latest development comes three months after the government pledged to invest between 6 and 10 million Kenyan shillings ($60 000 and $100 000 ) from next year to help boost the creative sector in the country.