PS assures Mombasa creatives institute will not affect them negatively

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Transport PS Mohamed Daghar on Friday once again assured players in the creative economy that they will not be affected by the establishment of the Railways Training Institute at the Little Theater Club (LTC).

Daghar said the creative economy practice will continue at the LTC as was but in an improved condition.

“We are also happy to announce that the Railways Training Institute will commence here in Mombasa county at this given premise.

“We will work internally to improve this space to ensure that it’s accommodative of both the two practices, both the institute and also the creative arts that has been going on here,” Daghar said at the LTC

The LTC is a historic 78-year-old performing arts venue established in 1948 by World War II veterans.

It is a gazetted national monument and a crucial cultural hub for theatre, music, and arts education at the Coast.

However, in late December last year, the Kenya Railways Corporation, which owns the land on which the LTC was established, sought to have possession of its land so as to establish a Railways Training Institute on it.

This did not go down well with the creatives, who feel the move will curtail growth of the creative industry and lead to loss of thousands of jobs for the youth.

However, government officials sought to assure them that the club will not be demolished, a pledge that does not sit entirely well with the creatives.

On January 23, a nine-member team was formed to dialogue and look for solutions to the impasse that rocked the LTC.

The team is comprised of representatives of the Kenya Railways Corporation, representatives of the Mvita MP’s office, representatives of the creative economy, among others.

On Friday, PS Daghar said the team has agreed to iron out all the differences and ensure no creative is negatively affected by the construction of the Railways Training Institute.

“That is why I had to come down here by myself to receive the agreement ironing out a raft of issues and putting aside any fears that any institution had, whether it was the Kenya Railways Corporation, or the creative economy,” PS Daghar said at the club.

“Today, I am happy to announce that that agreement has been signed by both parties. I, myself, have witnessed it together with the managing director here Mr Philip Mainga.”

Mvita MP Mohamed Machele said they had earlier though the dialogue would take 30 days, but was pleasantly surprised they took only seven.

“We thank God, after one week, people have come to an agreement. It is positive because this matter had brought a lot of tempers,” Machele said.

He said both the creatives and the Railways Training Institute will benefit Mombasa and Coastal youth.

“This is an opportunity that we encourage the youth to grab because it will benefit them more,” Machele said.

The MP encouraged youth, especially from Mvita, to apply for training opportunities at the institute so as to shape their future.

“As leaders, we have been making noise for our youth to be employed in the Railways Corporation because of the SGR. Now an opportunity has risen for our youth to be trained so as to get the jobs,” he said.

He noted that the Mvita NG-CDF and the Machele Foundation will look for ways to partner with the Railways Training Institute so as to ensure many youth get training opportunities.

Daudi Anguka, the chair if the LTC taskforce, said they have agreed on the minutes and will later sign the Memorandum of Understanding.

He called for patience and keenness saying artists will not rush things up.

“It was a dialogue and this dialogue was to make sure that we all eventually work together and that the LTC remains the face of the creatives,” Anguka said.

“As creatives, we want to ensure LTC remains LTC and that creatives benefit from this working relationship,” Anguka noted.