Mombasa creatives have something to smile about as they wrap up the year after the county boss Abdulswamad Sherrif Nassir issued directives for the establishment of a creative board.

Speaking during a meeting with members of the creative industry at the Swahilipot Hub Foundation, the governor directed the departments of trade and that of sports and youth to spearhead the process of meeting stakeholders and ensure that the board is in place by February 2024.

“We are now in December, I give recommendation that by February next year we should have the board in place. So I urge the two departments to have sit downs with fellow artist and the legal brains to come up with the board,” said Nassir.

The objective of the board Nassir said will be the issue of promoting local artists both locally and internationally.

The process, Nassir said, must be subjected to public participation and ensure that the board has equal representation of all aspects of the creative industry.

“No one has monopoly of ideas, I couldn’t have planned for you what you need. I have to first listen to you understand the problems and know what is needed.” Nassir said.

The governor at the same time urged seasoned artists at the coast to incorporate the young and upcoming artists as they move forward with the formation of the creative board in Mombasa.

“We have to respect the views of the new upcoming artists. You need to involve them, don’t make decisions of their behalf,” he said.

He said he will look into coming up with a way of ring-fencing funds for the board even as he challenged the artists to figure out how to get more funding for the operationalization and running of the creative board affairs.

Nassir also appreciated the tremendous support he received from the artists in Mombasa popularizing his agenda to Mombasa residents that propelled him to clinch the county chief position.

"I must appreciate the art by a number of you people. Some of you worked over time to make me who I am today, you composed campaign songs for me and used your creativity to push for my agenda,” the governor said.