Kalasha awards winners 2022 finally recieve prize money

By Peter Ochieng

Winners of the 2022 edition of Kalasha Awards have finally recieved their prize money, several months down the line.

Youth Affairs and Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba on Wednesday presided over the awards ceremony, with over Sh7 million going out to winners in various categories.

"This morning, CS @AbabuNamwamba led the Awards ceremony of the 2022 Kalasha Awards winners, where over Sh7.8 million was distributed to the winners, with each taking home Sh200,000," Kalasha Awards shared on X, formerly Twitter.

"Kalasha Awards seek to reward exceptional talent in various spheres in the Film industry in Kenya. By recognizing our own level of excellence and the achievements of our film practitioners, we set benchmarks for future filmmakers and encourage the expansion of the industry."

In his address, Namwamba said Kenya should aspire to become a film capital.

"We must elevate the values and stature of Kalasha to global status. Let us anchor Kenya as a true film capital,” he said.

The CS said that his Ministry was working with other African partners to actualize the resolution passed from the just concluded Youth Connekt Africa Summit 2023 to introduce Talanta Hela Africa, as a continental platform that will draw creatives from across the continent, in a bid to advance the creative economy conversation.

Last week, Sanaipei Tande, one of the actors who were declared winners during the 2022 Kalasha Awards raised a sort of a storm, when she said that they were yet to receive their prize money, a year after being declared winners.

"1 year later no prize money and no communication on the same from Kenya Film Commission, Kalasha Kenya or Ababu Namwamba, but Sh167M set aside for KNT renovations in bids to develop and nurture new talent!" she wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"What of the existing talent?" she paused.