Despite a court ruling delaying the procedure, Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports, and the Arts, Mr Ababu Namwamba, has suggested that preparations for the inauguration of the Talanta Hela program are on track.
Namwamba spoke on Tuesday after leading a committee meeting to review readiness for President William Ruto's official inauguration of the program on June 2, 2023.
Namwamba said in a statement following the conference that the program, an important initiative of the Kenya Kwanza administration, aims to monetize talent by leveraging existing government institutions such as the Kenya Academy of Sports and the Kenya Film School.
"We are collaborating with the Ministries of Education and ICT to ensure that we are able to identify talents from schools and communities across our republic," Namwamba added.
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The planning board assured the Cabinet Secretary that the program's launch preparations are proceeding as expected.
On May 22, 2023, High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi banned the implementation of President Ruto's Talanta Hela program, which he established in February 2023.
The program has two councils, one for creative/entertainers and one for sports. Mr Namwamba handpicked his council members, which included TikToker Azziad Nasenya and artist Akothee. Comedian Churchill Ndambuki and blogger Dennis Itumbi were also named.
However, these nominations sparked controversy because the criterion Namwamba utilized remained unknown.
As a result, Charles Mugane filed a petition against the Talanta Hela scheme, citing legal and constitutional issues. The petitioner further claimed that the appointments were based on the council members' popularity rather than merit.
The court injunction now prevents these appointees from participating in or performing any duties on the council.
Judge Mugambu has given Mr Namwamba and Attorney General Justin Muturi 14 days to answer.
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