Animated: Kenya Takes Off!

On December 6th 2008, Kenyan animators and animation enthusiasts turned out in record numbers for the Animated: Kenya seminar which was held at the Sarit Center in Nairobi.

This event was sponsored by the Kenya Film Commission and was purposed towards acting as a much needed catalyst for growth in the local industry whilst providing a platform for exposure of animation talent making waves in the Kenya.

Kenyan animators got a long overdue opportunity to meet up, share work and ideas, and strategize on how to take the industry to new heights in 2009.

Animated: Kenya is to date the largest gathering of Kenyan animation talent and is the clearest evidence yet of the growing interest by local artistes in animation arts.

The day was filled with insightful and inspiring presentations from Kenyan animation artistes and professionals that included Kwame Nyong’o, Celestine Wamiru, Louiza Wanjiku, Daniel Muli, Jim Chuchu, Gado, James Kanja, Wesley Kirinya, Alfred Muchilwa, Rahim Kara and Peter Mute.



Interactive Q&A sessions provided for enlightening discussion between the panel of presenters and the audience. Overall, the presenters stressed on the need to be focused, self-driven and proactive in pursuing a career in animation.

Ingenuity of Kenyan animators also shone through, as most presenters told of being self-taught, using basic hardware and locally available resources to come up with some amazing and creative solutions in their work.

Event was graced by the following keynote speakers:

Bitange Ndemo, the Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Information, Government of Kenya.

Gilda Odera, Representative,
Kenya BPO & Contact Center Society.

David Maingi, CEO,
Kenya Film Commission.

Support for Kenyan animation and animators was reaffirmed from multiple quarters including the Kenya Film Commission and the Government.

Indeed, all attending budding animators were encouraged and challenged by the Kenya Film Commission, as well as Government representatives at the event to be proactive in driving growth within this industry locally.

Everyone was in consensus that Kenyan animation has the potential to become the pre-dominated force in the African animation arena. Some amazing incentives were offered to local artistes and animators as a catalyst to help catapult Kenyan animation into the global marketplace in 2009!

The resounding message at the event was: Kenyan Animation is here and happening now!

It’s time for Kenyan youth to step-up and own this industry.


Special thanks and acknowledgement:



PS. Bitange Ndemo, Ministry of Information, for gracing the event as our Keynote speaker.
David Maingi (CEO), Lizzie Chongoti (Head of Programmes) and the entire team from the Kenya Film Commission.
Gilda Odera, Representative Kenya BPO & Contact Center Society.
All our presenters for the amazing display of work and inspirational presentations.
Rahim Kara, from Apple Center at the Sarit Center for the cool Adobe preview & all the support.
Maina Mucoki, for providing top-notch video-coverage of the entire event (and really cool interviews!).
Edward Obiko for setting up and running our live Blog for the Animated: Kenya Seminar
Alex Gakuru, Skunkworks-Ke for helping spread the buzz and all the support giving for Animated: Kenya
Wesley Kirinya for all the support to Animated: Kenya Seminar.

This event was organized by Michael Onyango (MO) and Majiqmud (Yebi).

If you attended the Workshop or indeed have some suggestions for future workshops, kindly fill the feedback form and help us improve.