Osotsi cautions against ‘over taxing’ digital content creators

Embakasi MP Babu Owino, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and his Vihiga counterpart Godfrey Osotsi during a Linda Wananchi rally at Mumboha grounds on Saturday April 25, 2026/IMAGE /HILTON OTENYO

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has cautioned against attempts that could expose digital content creators to higher taxation, saying such moves would further burden young Kenyans who are already struggling with unemployment.

The Senator criticised a statement sought by his Trans-Nzoia counterpart Allan Chesang, arguing that its intent and tone could inadvertently trigger fresh tax proposals targeting earnings from online platforms.

Osotsi, an IT expert said that content creators are already subject to multiple levies, including 1.5 per cent digital service tax and 16 per cent value-added tax on digital services.

These levies, he said, significantly reduced the income by content creators, warned that seeking additional data on the sector could “ignite the interest” of the National Treasury to impose further taxation.

“These are young people who have turned to online media because they cannot access formal employment. Any move that tightens control or increases taxation will only add pain to an already struggling group,” he added.

Chesang has asked the Senate Committee on Information, Communication and Technology to investigate concerns raised by Kenyan content creators over revenue sharing mechanisms on X, particularly on fairness, transparency and equitable participation in the digital economy.

“The digital economy increasingly drives employment and income, especially among Kenyan youth engaged in content creation across global digital platforms,” Chesang said.

He said concerns had emerged from Kenyan users regarding earnings and the structure of monetisation systems on X and wants the committee to interrogate the nature, structure and transparency of X’s monetisation model.

Chesang wants Senate to probe eligibility criteria, pay-out systems, factors influencing earnings and how revenue is calculated and distributed to Kenyan creators.

He also called for a comparative analysis of the platform’s payment systems against other global platforms such as YouTube and Facebook to determine whether Kenyan creators are receiving fair returns.

He also sought clarity on whether the government has assessed the economic contribution of Kenyan digital content creators across platforms and how participation translates into income for users.

But Osotsi questioned the necessity of additional inquiries that could be perceived as regulatory overreach and urged Senate to exercise caution when handling the matter.

He warned against policies that could stifle innovation and self-employment in the digital space.

While acknowledging ongoing initiatives by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), Osotsi said there was no need to tighten scrutiny in a manner that could discourage youth participation in the sector.

Osotsi said there was instead, need for supportive policies aimed at expanding opportunities for young people to earn from digital platforms.

He noted that pricing structures in the global content economy are largely standardised and not country-specific.

“We must encourage more young people to make a living online. Targeting them as a source of additional tax revenue will only demoralise a generation already grappling with joblessness,” he said.

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