Beleagured Ababu Namwamba Faces Heat Over Failed Talanta Hela App

The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports, and the Arts, Ababu Namwamba, has been under fire this week for the mishandling of his ministry’s Talanta Hela initiative.

The Talanta Hela app was launched in June to help Kenyans with skills in sports and other creative industries connect with potential sponsors. However, the app is currently unavailable, and the ministry has not given a clear explanation for why.

In an interview with Kenyans.co.ke, the ministry’s head of communication, Pauline Sheghu, said that the app was put on hold because the Talanta Hela Committee was dissolved in June. She said that the app would be operational once the committee is reconstituted.

However, Sheghu’s explanation has not satisfied critics, who say that the app should have been launched properly in the first place. They also point to other problems with the ministry, such as the neglect of sportsmen and women representing Kenya in international events.

Uasin Gishu woman representative and Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss has been one of the most vocal critics of Namwamba. She has accused him of mishandling Kenyan athletes and of failing to provide adequate support for the Talanta Hela initiative.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has also backed a move to have Namwamba summoned before the National Assembly to answer questions about his handling of the ministry.

The pressure on Namwamba is likely to continue in the coming days. He will need to provide a more satisfactory explanation for the problems with the Talanta Hela app and other issues in his ministry.

In addition to the Talanta Hela app, Namwamba has also been criticized for the following:

• Neglecting sportsmen and women representing Kenya in international events.
• Failing to provide adequate support for the creative industries.
• Mismanaging the ministry’s finances.

It remains to be seen whether Namwamba will be able to weather the storm and retain his position as Cabinet Secretary. However, the current situation is certainly not good for him.