NAIROBI, Kenya — Veteran filmmaker and Kalasha Awards Lifetime Achievement honouree John Karanja has received Sh2.3 million following his win at the 14th Kalasha Awards.
Karanja was presented with the cash prize by Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs on Monday, May 4.
In a statement, the PS said a total of Sh13.4 million pledged by President William Ruto had been disbursed to 38 awardees.
Also present at the event were Dennis Itumbi, head of Presidential Special Programs and Creative Economy Coordination, and officials from the Kenya Film Commission.
For Karanja, the recognition marks a defining “full circle” moment for Kenyan cinema, capping a career spanning more than three decades.
Long regarded as a quiet force behind the scenes, he has helped shape the industry by mentoring generations of filmmakers and championing the value and dignity of the craft, even in its early stages.
When he stepped onto the Kalasha Awards stage at the KICC on May 2, 2026, the standing ovation he received reflected not just his body of work, but also his resilience and lasting influence.
Accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award, John Karanja used the moment to look beyond his legacy and focus on the future of the industry.
In a speech that became the highlight of the night, he made a direct appeal for greater support for creatives, particularly emerging storytellers.
Addressing President Ruto, he said, “Your Excellency, receiving this award is a great honour, but a legacy is only as strong as the foundation we leave for those coming after us. Our storytellers are talented, but they are tired of being ‘starving artists.’
“We need more than applause; we need an environment where film is a viable, well-funded industry. I ask you, sir, to look into the creative fund and give these young people the tools they need to take Kenya to the world.”
His remarks drew an immediate response from the President, who praised Joh Karanja’s decades of service and announced several commitments. These included a personal award of Sh2 million in recognition of his contribution, as well as a pledge to increase annual government funding for the creative sector to Sh1 billion.
The President also announced that prize money for all winners would be more than doubled to Sh500,000, a move widely seen as a boost for creatives across the industry.
