The Ministry of Sports has acknowledged that the Talanta App, inaugurated by President William Ruto, is currently inaccessible on online platforms due to the disbandment of the Talanta Hela Committee in June this year.
In a statement to the press on Tuesday, August 22, Pauline Sheghu, the Ministry’s Head of Communication, revealed that the app had been in the development phase under the supervision of the now-dissolved Talanta Hela Committee.
She clarified that the app’s origination, spearheaded by Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, is expected to resume its functionality once the committee is reconstituted to continue its unfinished tasks.
“The majority of those involved in the app’s development were active participants of the committee. As a result, the progress of the app was halted to facilitate the Cabinet Secretary’s efforts in restoring order within the committee,” elaborated Sheghu.
Athletes experience ‘horror’ from Ministry officials
The Sports Ministry officials were responding to claims by a section of Kenya Kwanza top officials that the Sports Cabinet Secretary, Ababu Namwamba had not implemented most of the Ministry’s policies, including creating the Talanta Hela app.
The National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei has been in the limelight of late castigating the Sports CS on how he has steered the Ministry.
“Seeing the management of sports at the moment is painful. As late as yesterday (Monday, 21 August), I looked for the Talanta Hela app, (but) it doesn’t exist. Yet they told us it was launched,” she said.
The Talanta Hela Programme, which was to be launched across 47 counties, was aimed at promoting sports talent among the youth.
According to Shollei, the CS has neglected the athletes representing Kenya in international events. Rogue Ministry officials, Shollei says, have also taken the slots supposed to be reserved for athletes while the CS remains unconcerned.
“I have hosted the athletes at my house because the CS is not bothered. Some have even shared with me the horror stories of what happens to them out there. They are forced to fly economy while ministry officials fly business class. Sometimes they are also forced to have layovers of up to 14 hours,” she added.
National assembly urged to grill CS Namwamba
Shollei’s comments came hours after Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei backed the National Assembly’s move to grill Namwamba over the alleged mishandling of athletes.
“I echo the sentiments of Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah that CS Ababu continues to mismanage into oblivion our beloved sports. How can ministry officials fly first class with their girlfriends to the Championships in Budapest at the expense of our athletes?” Cherargei posed.
“Our female athletes are being exploited sexually and economically! Parliament must summon CS sports to avert disastrous mismanagement of our sports!” Cherargei quipped.
Ichung’wah had expressed disappointment with how the CS was managing affairs at the Ministry. He accused Namwamba of enjoying government privileges at the expense of athletes.
“You were made a minister to serve the people of Kenya. And if you are made the minister of sports, you must serve the sportsmen and women of our country. It is therefore extremely sad that such good ambassadors can leave our country without due recognition by the ministry in charge of that responsibility,” Ichung’wah said.
