Kisii: The government has reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing creative talent among the youth by fast-tracking the completion of Studio Mashinani. The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy has set aside Sh35 million in the 2025/2026 budget to revive the stalled project, which aims to provide accessible, well-equipped recording studios across the country.
According to Kenya News Agency, State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary (PS) Stephen Isaboke stated that the funds will be used to finalize two Studio Mashinani projects in Kisii and Eldoret, which have stalled over the past few years. The PS, who was in the region for the 2025 Devolution Conference in Homa Bay, noted the initiative aligns with the government's digital superhighway and creative economy pillar, one of the key pillars of President William Ruto's Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
'The digital space is one of the best platforms for absorbing the youth and the facilities at the Studio will give them a place to produce, record, and monetize creative content, thereby transforming talent while earning income,' Isaboke pointed out. The Kisii-based studio will offer state-of-the-art audio and video production spaces where young people can create content for social media, television, and other platforms.
The government's aim is to turn such spaces into hubs for employment creation in the creative sector, which Isaboke described as part of the intellectual property economy. The PS affirmed the project is backed by full government funding to ensure sustainability beyond the construction, adding that it is a deliberate investment to equip and sustain training centers for the youth.
Isaboke also addressed concerns over potential misuse of the facilities or victimization of young innovators, stating that creativity will be encouraged within the confines of the law. However, he cautioned the young people against cyberbullying, disinformation, and harassment on digital platforms, saying such conduct undermines the benefits of the digital economy.
The Studio Mashinani project, launched in 2017, falls under the Ajira Digital Programme, which offers innovative digital solutions and provides opportunities for the youth to earn a living from their talents. Some of the operational studios in different counties include Kisumu studio, Kitui studio, Gatanga studio in Murang'a, Lang'ata studio in Nairobi, Mombasa studio, and Komarock studio in Machakos.
Beyond Studio Mashinani, the government is setting up 1,450 digital hubs nationwide to equip young people with ICT skills and connect them to online job opportunities. 'Every ward will have a digital hub which will be equipped with desktops and youth from the local area can access the facility and get trained on ICT skills,' said Isaboke.
Notably, residents of Egetuki in Gucha Sub County, Kisii, embraced the proposed construction of a digital hub in the region in March this year, after the government organized a community forum to educate the locals on the benefits of digital access. In addition, the PS said the Ministry is also partnering with different stakeholders in the digital space, like Huawei, to set up training centers in the rural areas to expand their reach.
For instance, Isaboke confirmed that Huawei had set up a DigiTruck in Bobasi Constituency, and the center has received about 200 youth currently being trained on IT skills at no cost. 'The truck is located in a rural area where some people may have never even seen a laptop or a desktop,' he noted.
In June 2025, over 150 young people graduated from a four-week digital skills training programme under the Huawei DigiTruck initiative, a mobile, solar-powered classroom designed to provide tech education to underserved communities. The training incorporated essential digital competencies, including basic computer use, digital marketing, internet navigation, cybersecurity awareness, and digital entrepreneurship.
The PS called on young people to seize the opportunities being created in the digital and creative sectors, noting that their talent and innovation are central to Kenya's economic future.