Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba was heckled at Nairobi's Carnivore Simba Salon during the memorial of the late comedian Fredrick Omondi.
Namwamba's appearance at the ceremony was overshadowed by the ongoing public outrage over the contentious Finance Bill 2024, which is being considered by the National Assembly before being signed by the President.
Namwamba received strong pushback as he addressed the audience, expressing dissatisfaction with the planned legislation.
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The CS began his talk by saying, "Hello, creatives... I'm here to join you in paying a particular homage to this wonderful Kenyan.
However, the CS said, "I've come here with several Ministry personnel from the creative department. I want them to come here and say something. The jeers became louder, pushing Churchill to interfere, but his attempts were unsuccessful.
"Hold it... hold it... hold it... Asante... Nimewasikia… Hold it... It's okay... We are doing this for Fred...," Churchill frantically attempted to calm the charged crowd, which burst into "Ruto must go! Ruto must go!" chants.
Even the DJ's attempts to play music failed to discourage the tenacious audience, which had staged a historic demonstration against the contentious Finance Bill 2024 earlier this week.
Namwamba, striving to maintain a brave face in the face of open rejection, took the microphone and addressed the audience, only to throw gasoline to the flames.
He said: "We recognize and appreciate that energy. But we shall pay respect to Fredrick Omondi tonight. And whether you make noise, I say we live in an amazing country where everyone has a right to say their bit. Asanteni sana. Keep cheering, keep booing. Keep saying no as others say yes. But I want to assure creatives today, for a long time our industry has been ignored and has not been given sufficient attention."
His statements, interpreted as putting salt to the wounds, only served to enrage the audience more. They wouldn't even listen when program presenter Churchill said that Cabinet Secretary Namwamba had contributed Ksh.300,000 to the occasion in honor of Fredrick Omondi.
Churchill reclaimed the microphone as Namwamba left the stage with his head down.
The performance, dedicated to raising funds and remembering the life of Omondi, who unfortunately died in a car accident last Saturday, elicited an outpouring of affection and sadness from spectators.
Later, Namwamba rushed to social media to pay tribute to Omondi and reiterate the government's support for the creative industry.
"Incredible talent Freddie, snatched from our midst way too young. Fred's comedy, as with our other creatives, mirrors Kenya's robust democratic culture encapsulated in Article 37 of the Constitution, among others, which we must cherish and guard jealously as the cornerstone of our national stability," Namwamba said in his statement.
Churchill took the microphone as Namwamba left the stage with his head down.
The performance, dedicated to raising funds and remembering the life of Omondi, who unfortunately died in a car accident last Saturday, elicited an outpouring of affection and sadness from spectators.
Later, Namwamba rushed to social media to pay tribute to Omondi and reiterate the government's support for the creative industry.
"When emotions settle, blinkers fall off and fact is shifted from fiction, reality will dawn: the reality that we have a country to build, a task in which each of us has a role. Including the responsibility to pay taxes for national self-sustenance," Namwamba remarked.
He added, "I am delighted that the Creative Economy is a central pillar in the bottom-up economic transformation agenda. The Finance Bill will facilitate robust initiatives like the transformative #WhozNext project for Kenyan creatives."
