President William Ruto has reiterated that Kenya’s quest to host an African equivalent of the iconic Grammy Awards in Nairobi remains very much on course.

Addressing the 97th Kenya Music Festival State Concert at Sagana in Nyeri on Saturday, Ruto reiterated his government’s commitment to transforming Kenya into a creative hub globally and unleashing new opportunities for creatives.

He revealed that he will in the next month travel to the United States for talks with the Recording Academy, which hosts the Grammys. His mission will be to advance further the agenda of having top-notch recording studios set up in Kenya, a move he described as crucial to anchoring the country’s creative economy.

President Ruto stated that constructing such facilities would open the way for Nairobi to host the first-ever African version of the Grammy Awards.

“Earlier this year, we hosted the inaugural US-Kenya Creative Economy Forum, a milestone whose impact will soon be felt across the industry,” Ruto remarked.

“Next month, in the United States, I will meet with the Recording Academy, organizers of the Grammy Awards, to fast-track plans for establishing world-class studios here in Kenya and to set in motion the journey towards eventually hosting an African edition of the Grammys in Nairobi.”

The president acknowledged criticism and skepticism from some quarters but insisted that his government would deliver.

“As usual, there are those who doubt, the cynics who question everything we do, but, as we have always done, we will answer them with tangible outcomes that benefit the people,” he noted.

Ruto also disclosed that the Grammy team had expressed interest in anchoring their presence within the upcoming Talanta Stadium. He directed the Ministry of Youth and Creative Economy to accelerate all pending steps to ensure the facility meets international standards.

“To this end, I am directing the Ministry of Youth and Creative Economy to expedite all outstanding steps to deliver a truly state-of-the-art creative experience for our artistes, producers, and innovators right here at home,” he added.

Last year, Ruto revealed that his administration had already committed Ksh.500 million to support Nairobi’s ambition of hosting the global awards.