Millicent Omanga calls out Kenyans for failing to celebrate Bien’s performance in Tanzania
Former nominated Senator Millicent Omanga has criticized Kenyans for their lukewarm response to singer Bien-Aimé Baraza’s recent triumph at the 2025 Trace Awards in Zanzibar.
Bien, best known for his work with the acclaimed band Sauti Sol, delivered a show-stopping performance at the 2025 Trace Awards in Zanzibar on February 26, 2025.
Yet, while his performance and subsequent win for Best Artiste in Eastern Africa drew widespread acclaim in Tanzania, the response from his home country has been strikingly muted.
This silence has not gone unnoticed.
Omanga took to social media on Saturday, March 1, 2025, calling out Kenyans for failing to celebrate one of their own.
In a post on X, Omanga lamented the lack of public praise for Bien, especially from political leaders, despite the artiste’s remarkable feat on an international stage.
“Bien, one of Kenya’s top musicians, delivered an outstanding performance at the Trace Awards 2025. While our Tanzanian neighbors are flooding the media with praise, it seems Kenyans are unusually silent. Especially our leaders!” she wrote.
Bien was also feted at the award gala in Zanzibar.
He won the Best Ariste Eastern Africa category, having been pitted against Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), Joshua Baraka (Uganda), Harmonize (Tanzania), Rophnan (Ethiopia), Marioo (Tanzania), Zuchu (Tanzania) and Nandy (Tanzania).
However, back home, there has been little fanfare over Bien’s victory and win.
Omanga decried what she described as a troubling trend of Kenyan indifference toward its own artistic talents.
“Why don’t we celebrate our own? Supporting our artists not only motivates them but also elevates our music industry as a whole. When we acknowledge and uplift our own talents, we contribute to the growth of our culture and the arts,” she wrote.
Adding that; “Let’s change this. Let’s be at the forefront of supporting and celebrating artists like Bien. By doing so, we create a community that values and nurtures its own talent. Congratulations Bien 🙌.”
Her remarks reignited the perennial debate about Kenya’s support for local artistes compared to Tanzania and Nigeria, where musicians receive strong backing from both their governments and the public.
Some Kenyans took to social media to agree with Omanga, arguing that the country has yet to fully embrace and appreciate its homegrown talents.
Others pointed out that Bien himself has been vocal about industry challenges, including lack of institutional support.
The muted response to Bien’s win underscores broader issues facing Kenyan artistes, from limited airplay on local media to the absence of robust industry structures that would elevate their success on global platforms.
Despite the subdued celebration in Kenya, Bien’s performance at the Trace Awards has cemented his reputation as one of East Africa’s most accomplished musicians.
Whether the country will heed Omanga’s call to rally behind its artists remains to be seen, but the conversation she has sparked is unlikely to fade anytime soon.
Author
Martin Oduor
The alchemist of literary works - a master wordsmith with a proven record of transforming the raw materials of language into a rich tapestry of emotion, thought, and imagination.
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