Court suspends Talanta Hela Council, its technical committees
By Nancy.Gitonga, May 23, 2023
A council appointed by President William Ruto on February 10, 2023 to identify and develop sporting talents countrywide was dealt a blow by the High Court when it quashed the gazette notice establishing the body.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi on Tuesday, May 23, suspended the Talanta Hela Council and its technical committees appointed for a term of three years running from February 10, 2023 by the President.
“Pending hearing and determination of the inter-parties of this application, an interim order is hereby issued suspending the special Gazette Notice No.1649 (Vol.CXXV No.32) publishing the establishment of the Talanta Hela Council and its technical committees and the consequent appointment for a period of three years,” the judge ruled.
The judge suspended the implementation of the council and its relevant committees in all the 47 counties following a petition by an aggrieved sporting personality Charles Mugane.
Mugambi also granted the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Arts and Sports Ababu Namwamba and the Attorney General Justin Muturi 14 days to respond to the lawsuit before pretrial on June 12, 2023.
Court allows more applications
Further, the court allowed an application by Sports Kenya, Kenya Academy of Sports and Kenya Copyright Board to participate in the proceedings.
Mugane urged the judge to permit him to file a detailed case sampling out all the flaws committed by the state in creating the council to enable justice to be done to all those intended, a request that Mugambi allowed.
Mugane lodged the legal lawsuit after being aggrieved by President Ruto’s decision to establish the Talanta Hela Council which has two technical committee members, one for sports and one for creatives.
Among those who had been appointed to the council are Media personality Carol Radull as the chairperson of the Sports Technical Committee.
Other members include former Harambee Stars international and FKF vice chairman Sammy Sholei, ex-international Boniface Ambani and former World Athletics Championship Javelin gold medallist Julius Yego.
Daniel “Churchill” Ndambuki also known as Mwalimu King’an’gi is the chairperson of the Creative Technical Committee among others.
Dennis Itumbi, Jane Chepkemei and Charles Gacheru are among members of the Council that will be headed by CS Namwamba.
In his petition filed before the Milimani High Court Constitutional and Human Rights Division, the petitioner had the appointments quashed and declared unconstitutional.
Mugane claims that establishment was done without public participation thus was null and void.
While seeking the interim orders, he further informed the judge that unless he intervenes, rights of those meant to benefit will be infringed.
Mugane informed the judge that unless he intervenes, rights of those meant to benefit will be infringed.
“I urge the court to suspend the establishment of the Council and its Committees until such a time when the CS will comply with the law by implementing sound sporting doctrine in establishing the body that will help this country identify and get the best of talents in all sporting activities,” reads the court papers by Mugane.