The Ministry of Sports has announced the immediate discontinuation of the Talanta Hela national and regional tournaments.
In place of the initiative, the ministry will implement a new strategy for talent identification and development, prioritizing collaboration between the Kenya Academy of Sports and the existing school sports infrastructure.
Talanta Hela was initially launched to monetize and harness Kenya’s talent by identifying, nurturing, and developing athletes.
However, Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen clarified that organizing large-scale tournaments like the Talanta Hela Under-19 is outside the scope of the Kenya Academy of Sports.
Murkomen explained that the academy will now focus on nurturing young talent, in partnership with the Kenya Primary Sports Association and the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association, which already oversee sports at the school level.
“I have directed the Kenya Academy of Sports to focus on developing young talent, while the management and development of older athletes will be handled by their respective federations. The national tournaments held last year, though beneficial, can now be organized by sponsors, county governments, and federations. Our focus is on supporting young talent in primary and secondary schools,” Murkomen said.
He added, “As we review the Sports Act and Sports Policy, the government is working to establish clear development pathways for athletes, beginning from the school level. We will also explore the role of universities and colleges as we continue progressing.”
This change comes a year after the Talanta Hela initiative was launched at Nyayo Stadium by former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba.
