Launch remarks · 9 June 2023
Good Evening,
I take this early opportunity to share with you the outstanding significance of this event and why this moment is a very special milestone in our determined journey towards a radical socio-economic transformation of this country. Our determination to ensure that no one is left out of the dividends of the transformation has inspired us to implement interventions from the bottom up and touch every possible life and livelihood.
Today is formally designated as the official unveiling of the Platinum Anniversary of the Safari Rally, Kenya’s iconic contribution to the World Rally Championship (WRC) series, and the occasion for the activation of the Sports and Creative Economy Master Plan.
A third critical function, which we are undertaking today is the formal launch of our ongoing effort to implement the government’s commitments to the critical sectors of sports and the creative economy.
We believe that we were elected on the basis of the compelling platform of our Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which consists of promises, pledges and other commitments across all sectors of the economy with a view to increasing incomes as the foundation of national prosperity.
We are, therefore, particularly mindful of our obligation to make sure that we make all possible efforts to redeem our pledges, keep commitments. our promises and implement our
Over 70 thrilling years, the Safari Rally has contributed a singular spectacle to global motorsport. Conducted over rugged terrain set against dramatic sequence of picturesque landscapes, the rally takes drivers through extremely challenging courses abounding with varieties of flora and fauna.
As a result, the Safari Rally is among the favourites in the WRC’s 13 rounds, watched by millions of devoted spectators globally and adored by generations. It has also introduced dozens of talented Kenyan drivers to the world, including a number of well-known names who have joined us today.
The 2023 edition of the Safari Rally will, of course, continue the magnificent tradition that has turned it into a distinguished fixture in the global calendar. From the number of entries so far, it is clear that this iconic event is undergoing a phenomenal revival. Thirty-four crews from 20 countries will wage fierce battle for glory in the main event, while 19 Kenyan drivers will be behind the wheel, including three impressive youngsters: Jeremy Wahome, McRae Kimathi and Hamza Anwar.
Demonstrating that Kenya is truly coming of age in fundamental ways, this rally will have more than 5 women crews, including 3 ladies’ teams that qualified for full government sponsorship. Look out, therefore, for Pauline Sheghu and her co-driver Linet Ayuko, Natasha Tundo with
Chantal Young and Jennifer Malik with Wangui Mungai. I wish the young ladies the very best as they set out to break records, barriers and claim their space in their chosen sport.
The government has taken measures to exploit the invaluable branding value of this global event by investing KSh1.5 billion to support it and profile the rally appropriately, thus positioning Kenya as an iconic sporting nation, rallying powerhouse and tourism destination. During the rally, the Hustler Bazaar also offers opportunities for hustlers to earn from serving the crowds, while the Sherehe Corner will provide creatives with an opportunity to entertain and engage them. Everybody will come out as a winner, and this is the power of sports and creative economies to ignite growth.
When I flag off the Safari Rally I will be setting off a very important phase of our project to transform sport in Kenya and make talent truly rewarding.
Sport and the creative economy contribute the most easily recognisable components of our national brand, especially athletics as well as other sporting disciplines, in addition to distinctive musical and other artistic offerings. Notwithstanding this undeniable contribution to the richness of our national identity, global reputability, competitiveness, and creation of thousands of jobs for talented Kenyans on a full-time basis, the sectors remain far from their full potential. As a result, their contribution to the national GDP is low and so are the incomes of many professionals in comparative and absolute terms.
To address this underperformance, we committed to leverage our international athletic and sporting brand to develop a local sporting apparel manufacturing cluster, incorporate all sports into the national sports talent academy and devolve it to County Sports Talent Academies. We also pledged to promote county leagues and intercounty sports championships that culminate into a national sporting extravaganza that will help restore Kenyan football to good international standing.
On the creative economy, our commitments include leveraging our digital prowess to enhance the creative economy’s position as a significant sector and increase its contribution to fashion and value addition to leather and crafts export. We also pledged to protect intellectual property rights as the foundation of effective monetisation and mainstream the development of arts and culture infrastructure. Our commitment also extended to incorporating the creative economy into the Brand Kenya and commercial diplomacy initiatives, establish a vibrant film ecosystem and facilitate the monetisation of music to promote entrepreneurship.
Since taking office, we have been involved in developing appropriate mechanisms of enriching and delivering our pledges. Today, I am happy to share with the country a glimpse of what we have been up to, and a taste of the brilliant things to come out of our sporting and creative ecosystems.
It is the intentional refinement and elaboration of our pledges and promises that have now been developed into the Sports and Creative Economy Master Plan, or Talanta Hela. Under it, we are committing to facilitate the development of legal frameworks, economic institutions, and organisational mechanisms to promote the effective and sustainable monetisation of all talent in our sports and creative economies. Through this convergence, Talanta Hela projects the government’s determination to turn competitive capabilities across all sporting disciplines and the expansive spectrum of the creative industry, including music and dance, film and theatre, fashion and pageantry, digital content creation as well as literary and fine arts.
By facilitating the development of a competitive ecosystem of sporting and creative talents, and monetising all possible opportunities, Talanta Hela formalises entrepreneurship in these sectors, enhancing their potential contribution to economic transformation.
Through its strategic pillars, the Talanta Hela Master Plan will mobilise sectoral stakeholders, including schools, federations, clubs, private academies and other partners, in a robust, inclusive bottom up endeavour to deliver six key outcomes. The first, of course, is the revival of sport from the grassroots, through satellite sports academies beginning at the school level, through community to regional (stadium) academies, which culminate in the Kenya Academy of Sports at the national level.
The National Academy will be established by expanding the resident academy of the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, to incorporate modern training and accommodation facilities that meet international standards.
It will also become the national hub for identifying, developing, marketing, promoting and monetising talent across all sporting disciplines, including motor rallying.
The second pillar entails interventions to formalise the creative economy, actualise its full potential and enhance its contribution to the national GDP beyond its current share of 5.3 per cent. To do this, Talanta Hela will pursue the enhancement of intellectual property rights, streamline royalty administration, establish fully equipped creative hubs, support for fashion and pageantry, rationalise the reward and incentive systems for creatives and support nationwide grassroots creative talent search, development, promotion, and monetisation.
Another pillar of Talanta Hela involves the Kenya National Innovation Agency, KeNIA, which has been designated to implement the Presidential Innovation Challenge, an online initiative to encourage our youth to create disruptive innovations and revolutionary ideas in every sector, including technology, agriculture, the blue economy, and forestry. I look forward to seeing many exciting breakthroughs at this year’s Kenya Innovation Week, including, hopefully, one that solves the inter-generational entrepreneurial conundrum: How do we make agriculture cool to attract our young people?
Further, Talanta Hela has set out the forging of transformative partnerships as a fourth strategic pillar. We seek to form effective collaborations with strategic partners under public-private partnerships and other frameworks. The programmes involved include talent search and development, music recording, production and marketing, sports development, and promotion of the creative economy. Others are development of sports tourism, grassroots football competition in collaboration with counties, live broadcasts, and sponsorship of football.
The next pillar of Talanta Hela focuses our strategic attention to the development of a sports apparel and equipment value chain, aimed at finally leveraging Kenya’s fine international sporting brand to grow a robust national cluster. On this matter, I encourage all of you to embrace a Buy Kenya, Build Kenya culture to promote such outstanding designers and brands as Akinyi Odongo, Wanja Kenya, Ziwa Brand, Enda, Warrior, and Zebra. This is how we support and promote the next iconic global sports apparel and equipment brands.
Finally, we take Talanta Hela online through the Talanta Hela app, which will be a one-stop shop for creatives and sportspeople, connecting talented individuals to opportunities and resources, including access to training programmes, sponsorship, mentorship, and collaborative possibilities.
The essence of Talanta Hela is a Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda approach to the sporting and the creative economy aimed at making them sustainably support large talent by monetising every possible opportunity, formalising talent development and positively affecting education, manufacturing, tourism and medicine, among other sectors. Talanta Hela is also an inclusive, bottom-up programme which promotes collaboration and partnerships with diverse private sector actors, county governments and international organisations. The endpoint of Talanta Hela is 'pesa mfukoni': Competitive incomes that can sustain livelihoods and reward talent, dedication, discipline, and focus.
As I conclude, I remind you to mark June 22, 2023, so that you can participate in the Safari Rally right from the flagging off of the first car off the ramp at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
Also remember that on Jamhuri Day, I will be awarding the winners of the Presidential Innovation Challenge and the national champions of the intercounty football tournament. From now, when we activate the Talanta Hela Sports and Creative Economy Master Plan, expect intense engagement across the country as talent finally mobilises to blossom as an enabler of livelihoods and lifestyles on an unprecedented scale.
And now, let me officially unveil the commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Safari Rally and, at the same time, officially launch the Sports and Creative Economy Master Plan.
Thank you. God bless you all.