Kenyan content creator and showbiz commentator Sabato Sabato, popularly known as Sauti ya Ground, has strongly criticised the state of the country’s stand-up comedy industry, lamenting its dramatic decline and calling upon artistes to respect the art form by staying true to their strengths.
In a video posted on his YouTube page on Sunday, July 6, 2025, he singled out some of the country’s most prominent comedians, urging them to avoid diluting the genre with what he described as misplaced ventures and misplaced focus.
According to him, Kenya’s stand-up comedy scene has taken a hit because many comedians seem confused about their path, constantly jumping on trends and trying to mix comedy with new ventures like content creation.
“YY Comedian, leave women’s issues alone and let us speak the truth. Our stand-up comedy in Kenya has really deteriorated,” he said, adding that there was once a time when stand-up comedy in the country was held in high regard and had a clear identity.
“There was a time Kenyan stand-up comedy was simply that—pure stand-up comedy. But when we look at it now, can anyone honestly say it resembles what we had back then?”
Perfect their niche
He challenged his peers to speak candidly about the issue, urging them to face the reality that the comedy stage has been infiltrated by individuals who lack commitment to the genre.
“Even I have no problem if you say it as it is. You are all seeing how things are. You have people like Mulamwah now claiming to have a stand-up comedy show, yet to be honest, he is just drunk,” he noted.
Sauti ya Ground further stressed the need for entertainers to specialise and perfect their respective crafts rather than juggling multiple creative directions without mastery.
He said that this is the magic key to reviving Kenya’s comedy industry, and expressed surprise that comedians have yet to recognise that truth for themselves.
“That is what I always say—if we as Kenyans embrace this truth, we shall be just fine. You cannot do everything. You simply cannot, it is impossible,” he said.
He then praised popular online personality Wololo for what he described as admirable discipline and creative clarity.
“If you are a content creator, stay in that lane. That is what I love about Wololo—he is a content creator, and he has stuck to that. He is doing well. You will not see him tomorrow trying to perform stand-up comedy.”
