'Ababu wanted a different ministry', President Ruto reveals at Talanta Hela app launch

The President was joined by, among others, Council of Governors chairperson Anne Waiguru, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, Simba Arati of Kisii county and Trans Nzoia’s George Natembeya.  

The star-studded, red carpet affair attracted tons of city celebrities among them Azziad Nasenya, Tiktoker Kinuthia, singer Wahu, Nameless, legendary rapper Abbas Kubaff, Iyani, KRG The Don, Jose Gatutura, Samidoh, Propesa, Arap Uria, Wilbroda and more.

While speaking about the Sports CS, The President revealed that Ababu Namwamba intitally wanted a different docket but the President insisted on placing him at the Arts ministry. 

"When the time to appoint Cabinet came, he wanted me to appoint him to another ministry (I will not tell you which) but I declined. I told him that I knew my team better, and you (Namwamba) agree with me that I made the right choice," The President said. 

"You have my support in what you are doing in this space. We have had a conversation about what you are doing in this sector,"  he divulged. 

The President also took guests down memory lane, divulging the tensions that followed after Ababu Namwamba sought to resign from Uhuru Kenyatta's government in order to support his (Ruto's) presidential bid. 

"When I went to the elections, Namwamba was working with us at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Because he was my friend, one morning, he came and told me that he wanted to resign," Ruto revealed. 

"He told me it would be very difficult for him to keep his job and support me simultaneously. I tried to persuade him but was unsuccessful," he said. 

On his part, Namwamba, who also revealed that his ministry had signed a contract with Trace Africa, expressed confidence in reforming the ministry which he stated needed revamping. 

The CS also highlighted some of the sectors that would benefit from the newly launched initiative while also adding that his ministry had, for the first time, sponsored Kenya's all-female batch of Safari Rally drivers. 

"What the Talanta Hela will do is to join the dots that have been missing. You (Ruto) instructed me to steady the ship and fix the mess. That is what I was doing," he stated.

The Harambee Stars squad, who were slated to fly to Mauritius today, were also in attendance. They were chaperoned by their coach Michael Olunga. 

The WRC (2023) Kenya Safari Rally squad too, led by rally ace Carl Tundo, were also present. 

Churchill Show's MC Jessy and Chipukeezy were the MCs of the night which included several high-octane performances from established and upcoming stars including Brandy Maina, Guardian Angel and rapper Small Band.

The project, in line with the government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda, aims to identify, recruit, nurture, market, and monetise talent. 

The initiative will also promote and inculcate the value of sport to local athletes in various disciplines besides striving to impart good values of the game to them. 

Friday's ceremony saw the digitisation of the initiative following the launch of an application which is available on Play Store for android users and App Store for Apple users.