 I'm right here with Dr. Teri Ezekia, who's always the CEO of MCSK, that is Music Cooperation Society of Kenya. How are you with Dr. Teri? Well, we are celebrating our legends tonight. Indeed. It is lit. How does that make you feel, Dr. Teri? Because we've had this leading sportsmen for a long time, but we haven't really had this moment just to celebrate them. How do you feel about all this? I think it's a national shame that 60 years down the line. This is the time now we are celebrating them. But at the same time, it's a great moment to see that we have a CS who is beautiful, both at heart and physically, and who is pushing, who is opening new doors to recognize our musicians, to appreciate them, to recognize our sportspeople, to appreciate them, and to open opportunities for them to feel celebrated. They say give people their flowers when they can smell them. Like the CSR said, there's no point of really going for funerals and ordering big funerals for artists and our legends, our sportspeople, when they die. We need to celebrate them now. And like you said, these are our greatest ambassadors. They put the Kenya's name on the map day in, day out. It's a great moment. We can say here that all night, even tomorrow, and celebrate them. I mean, Dr. Teri, I know we have so many of them who have achieved a lot. The sportsmen. But I would like to know who is the greatest of all time according to you? Just one. For me. For me, it's an old man who is not here. He's called Mashu Muluwa. Mashu Muluwa was the coach for Rambestars in the 80s. And I was a child. And I would steal my father's radio and go to look after cows with the radio when Rambestars was playing. The days of Josford Molera, Dr. Joma Singer, the likes of Peter Dowell, he has never left my mind. And they would carry him shoulder high. That time we used to celebrate our sports. And when we won, when Rambestars won, even the president would issue a statement. It was great. So for me, it stuck because that time there was no support, really. It was very minimal. But he mended a team that won't even produce players that went on to win even the African Cuff. Yeah, through Goldmire. Now, Dr. Terry, you were mentioning to me behind the scenes that you know now the CMOs and the ministry are working together. And I know people have always been blaming the CMOs. But now we have a new page. How excited are you about that? So excited. You know, two days ago I went to State House. The first lady was hosting some of these legends. And I was so happy to see and recognize them. You know, recognize them one by one and giving them the time even to give their history and to be able to be a State House. You can see what the CS is doing. For me, it is refreshing. It is incredible. It's incredible because more than money, these great legends and veterans need our appreciation and they need to be given their appreciation now. So for me, it is exciting. We have opened a new chapter to collaborate and engage with the government agencies and the private sector to ensure that we put money in the pockets of these musicians and the great athletes and sports people in this country through to Landahela. I'm a champion, actually. I told the CS that I'll be the champion. We are turning around this industry within a very short time. Right now, there's appreciation of our music industry. There's appreciation of our athletes. And you can see what Fred Kepiagon is doing, what Ferdinand Omanera. But more importantly, in a very short time, you're going to see great music coming out of Kenya. We've been beaten by Tanzania, by Nigeria, by South Africa. But I can tell you this will produce other Grammys and Oscars like Lupita Nyong'o out of the music industry. We are going to have other great people in this industry. What they lacked is leadership and that's what we are providing by bringing professionalism, by ensuring that the artists themselves are the most critical component of our operations and that they take credit. And if there is money, it goes to them, not to us. So we are putting them first. In fact, if you look at the balance that you have done, they say MCSK Niyawasani, Wasanindio Wenyechama. Wasanindio Wenyechama. Now, Dr. You know, like you've mentioned, Tanzanians, Nigerians are overtaking us especially when it comes to Kenyans listening to their music. Kenyans don't seem to support, you know, the Kenyans are artists. What do you think is the problem that we have? Like Diamond is the most streamed artist in Kenya. Why do you think the problem is? I think first of all, lack of this kind of celebration and appreciation because it must come from us and leadership comes from the top. Because if the government appreciates them, the society appreciates them and we begin to celebrate them. The reason why we have been inviting Diamond is because he's loved even in his country, but more importantly they see the opportunities available in Kenya that our people don't see. We don't love our own. Most of the times we don't know. Some of the legends you have seen here, like Paul Terragat, people like David Rudisha, I have gone with them to London and in the streets of London you are stopped and a crowd is kneeling around you because they have seen a champion. Those guys work in Arabia. We don't make as much celebration for them. So what we are bringing back to the sport and to the music industry is the excitement, the fun. It is the appreciation, it is the celebration and this is what makes countries great. The whole sport industry, the whole music industry is about celebrating the spirit of resilience, teamwork, you know, discipline. This is what we need to celebrate and these values can be inculcated to our young people to know that you don't just, there are no quick fixes. You don't just wake up and you win. You don't become a champion. You toil sometimes, you fail, you sacrifice. You maintain discipline and in the end you become a champion and your country celebrates you. You don't need to be a minister. You don't have to be a politician. You can be famous and you can live in this country celebrated and honored as a sportsperson, as a musician, as a footballer. Any field of sport or music can make you famous and be loved by Kenyans. As I wind up, Doctorie, I always like to reference what you told me that you want to make Kenyan artist billionaires. What's the progress, Doctorie? Because I'm still seeing them sending screenshots on social media. I don't know what's the progress. We were collecting from places that have changed. The ecosystem of music has dynamically changed. Fundamentally, we used to collect from Kenyans and salons and restaurants. There's no money there. Since COVID, a lot of that economy has crumbled. Money is in the digital platforms. Money is in the Thalanda hella. We have now identified three areas where we are going to raise money. One of them is the new media, the digital media, TikToks of this world, YouTube's of this world. We are working with the minister. We are signing new MOUs. We are at 1.7% of the Kenyan repertoire on YouTube. We have raised that to 16.5%. Then there is something called blank tape levy. I don't know if you've heard about it. A small tax that is levied on end gadget at the port of entry that it has capacity to record copyrighted material. That can raise about 6 billion per year. Then we are looking at broadcasters and they are growing in their numbers. We want to ensure that they are also on them because they can't function without music. We are looking at the areas with huge streams of revenue rather than harassing kioses in the village. It is actually more routine after those guys when, for example, Schizatune is raising 1.8 billion but a lot of that money goes to the brokers, their PRSPs. Now we want to work with them and see how most of the money, the big chunk of the money can go to the artist. Through the blank tape levy, through broadcasters, through the new media, we are going to raise a lot of money. We have committed to the president, but on December MCSK will be at the forefront in giving the highest amount of money because 12th December of Jamuri Day, this year is dedicated to the creative economy. So it will not be stories. It will be real appreciation and real checks. So the stories of 600, the stories of 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 is over. The president will issue the checks himself. We're not going to be sending through M-Pesa because that's what has been happening. So we have streamlined the entire ecosystem because we didn't have licenses for many years. CMOS did not have licenses. Tariffs were lowered in 2019 by 90%. Now they have been published by the minister just two weeks ago, raised them to 60%. We have now this collaboration that we are doing. I can tell you, those stories will not be there anymore. But they need to give us time. Rome was not building a day. We needed to put in together those structures and then lay the program to ensure that by December we can be able to distribute a lot of money. Now this reminds me, Dr. Harry, I saw that the new tariffs have been gazetted and the hospitals are paying more in licenses as compared to clubs and salons and all that. How so? These things went through public participation. So there is a reason behind it because everybody had a chance to argue their case. You know some of these places need music more. If someone is in the hospital, they need music. Music is needed even in funerals. Music is needed in hotels. So there was conversation and all the stakeholders were brought on board. So if you see someone paying more than the other, it's because that's what was agreed in the public participation sessions. So it's not imposed on them. This is what was agreed on but we are going to implement it in a sequential manner and refuse they are doing the right thing and they are not being forced to pay. They are paying because they understand why they should pay. Because I want my daughter and my son to be proud to become musicians because they can see a billionaire musician. Now when they see us bringing diamond platinum because these hotels are not paying, broadcasters are not paying, I think it's a shame. It's a national shame. We are turning around that situation and we believe by December you will see a difference. Yes. Last question. What is that one thing that Terry, people misunderstand you about? I'm very passionate. I love my work and I give it my best. People mistake it for self-aggratization and self-preservation because it's always a common notion that if you're in government and you are so passionate, you must be benefiting. When they see me dressing well or doing something, driving a nice car, they think it is managed to learn from them. I actually give more than my salary. Every month, particularly the last one year since I joined the music industry because of the situation there, I give my money. I attend launches of albums and I spend my money. People don't appreciate that. They think we are there to steal. Even some of them, if you check on Google, you'll find stories of theft and so on. Even when I was KFCB, when I was living, they wanted to do audit and investigations. They always think you can't be straight if you are hoarding, you're in charge of millions. I've been a school captain and I see you chairman since my childhood. All through. They don't know that I used to it. So they mistake you for another corrupt government official and they think you are there to steal. It pains me, but that is what you need. When you are in leadership, you must be strong and you must develop thick skin to be able to be resilient to overcome until you understand. A year ago, I could not attend a meeting like this. Can't believe it. Musicians would be shouting everywhere. Now, we are being recognized. I was speaking at State House as the chief guest of the first lady two days ago. Things are changing. That was Dr. Ezeke Mutawiz, the CEO of MCSK. There you have it. Thank you for watching. My name is Miss Kitty.