Plans are underway to construct an ultra-modern cinema theatre at Wangari Maathai Arts & Cultural Centre in Nyeri town.
The theatre is being constructed by the County Government of Nyeri through the Department of Trade, Tourism, Culture and Co-operatives Development in partnership with Kenya Film Commission (KFC) and Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs. The County Government of Nyeri will provide land and infrastructure while KFC is to provide the requisite equipment.
A team from the Ministry of ICT and KFC paid a courtesy call to Nyeri Governor H.E Mutahi Kahiga in his office and later visited the site as a follow- up of the project.
The team led by KFC CEO Timothy Owase and Advisor to ICT CS Frida Karuri expressed their commitment in the plans to ensure more talents in the film industry are tapped in the county.
This comes barely two weeks after the visit by ICT CS Joe Mucheru at the cultural centre, as a follow up of the project.
Movies, cinema and films can help us to better understand our own lives, the lives of those around us and even how our society and culture operate. They affect many of us powerfully because the combined impact of images, music, dialogue, lighting, sound and special effects can elicit deep feelings and help us reflect on our lives.
The courtesy call is in line with Governor Kahiga’s vision of development of culture and the arts as a source of income, public entertainment and education.
The County Government of Nyeri is committed to the promotion of culture, tapping talents involved in innovations and creativity. Already, the department is planning to fence the cultural centre and improve pathways ahead of the project which is expected to start this year.
Once this project is complete it will increase annually the number of young people watching local productions from 27% to 33 % by the year 2023. It will also give movie goers premium cinema experiences at par with the best in the world.
The cinema will contribute to the local economy in terms of audience/visitors and also to the local film makers as it will expand the distribution of local films to the audiences.