Ababu Namwamba, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports, and the Arts, has found himself in the midst of a controversy surrounding his management of the ministry.
At the center of this debate is the innovative initiative known as the Talanta Hela project.
Launched on June 9, the Talanta Hela app was designed to bridge the gap between skilled individuals in sports and creative sectors and potential sponsors.
However, recent developments have led to questions about the availability and functionality of the app. Pauline Sheghu, the Ministry’s Head of Communication, shed light on the matter in an interview with Kenyans.co.ke.
She acknowledged that the Talanta App, initially launched by President William Ruto, is currently inaccessible.
Sheghu attributed the app’s unavailability to the dissolution of the Talanta Hela Committee earlier in the same month. She elaborated that the app’s operations would resume once the committee is reconstituted.
She stressed, “Most of the individuals involved in developing the app were part of the committee. Therefore, the app’s launch was put on hold as the Minister focuses on internal matters. Launching something prematurely, only for it to malfunction, would place the President in an uncomfortable position.”
Notably, on June 9, Namwamba made the decision to revoke appointments of key figures, including Carol Radul, Dennis Itumbi, Azziad Nasenya, and Daniel Ndambuki, from the Talanta Hela council and technical committees.
Sheghu concluded by emphasizing that the initiative, which initially garnered significant attention, is actively being promoted at the county level.
“We are currently conducting physical engagements in various counties to ensure that no talent goes unnoticed. Some individuals are located in remote areas with limited online access. Providing a platform to physically showcase their talents proves more effective for them.”
