Community’s ‘medals’ for its Mashujaa athletes

 

By Vincent Bartoo
And Fred Kibor

The adage charity begins at home was clearly demonstrated over the weekend when Elgeyo/Marakwet County honoured its athletic heroes.

The county’s residents alongside their leaders and sports administrators donated heifers and sheep to fete their sons and daughters as part of the Mashujaa Day celebrations marked countrywide on Saturday.

The world beating athletes from the county converged in Iten, not to show their prowess in conquering the world but to receive ‘medals’ from the community.

The people had decided it was their turn to celebrate their heroes and Mashujaa Day provided the befitting occasion.

Honed skills

Hundreds of people at the ceremony at the historic Kamariny Stadium in Iten, which has honed the skills of many athletes, watched in admiration as their celebrities moved forward to receive the awards.

They included steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi, Vivian Cheruiyot, Wilson Kipsang, Thomas Longosiwa, Jonah Chesum, Mary Keitany, Stella Ruto and Lilian Jepkorir.

It was heifers for those who won gold at the London Olympics while the silver medallists and marathon winners at the Olympics or other international competitions received sheep.

Local Athletics Kenya, led by chairman and former International athlete Daniel Komen, organised the colourful event.

Local traditional dancers and gospel musicians entertained the garlanded athletes prior to the climax.
Their ‘medals’, which were also garlanded with the traditional Sinendet, a ceremonial plant revered by the Kalenjin community, were nearby as if enjoying the ceremony.

Retracing history

“In retracing our history, we realised our ancestors came together to honour the community’s heroes after a conquest. That is what we have done today too — to honour our athletes for conquering the world,” Komen told The Standard.

Vivian Cheruiyot, the 5,000m Olympic silver medallist said she and the other athletes felt honoured and encouraged to scale greater heights in their running career.

“When your community appreciates you, it is so touching. We indeed feel we are Kenya’s heroes,” she said.

Longosiwa said that the gifts were a blessing to them as livestock is considered the greatest wealth among the Kalenjin.

“When you are given livestock as a present, it supersedes any other gift because with it, follows blessings and that is important to us,” he said.

Halfway through the ceremony, there was a heavy downpour — considered a blessing among these people.

Those in attendance said the downpour was a heavenly approval of the ceremony.

The athletes and all the guests at the stadium were later treated to a sumptuous feast.

To make the event successful, each constituency of Elgeyo Marakwet County — Keiyo North, Marakwet West, Keiyo South and Marakwet East — raised Sh100,000. Other prominent leaders also contributed generously towards the ceremony’s success.

Earlier, the function provided an opportunity for local leaders present to fault the Government for failing to improve sporting facilities in the area despite the international fame the country gets from sports.

They said Kamariny Stadium was in a pathetic condition despite being opened by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.

Marakwet East MP Linah  Kilimo asked the Government to take athletes seriously so that they continue flying the Kenyan flag high in international races.

Athletics powerhouse

“Kenya is an athletics powerhouse and has a lot of untapped potential that needs to be harnessed by improving dilapidated sporting facilities,” she said.

Former powerful minister Nicholas Biwott, who is aspiring to be the County’s Senator, said his vision is to develop a strategic plan to exploit sports in the county.

Charity begins at home and so we are going to start recognising our athletes once the devolved Government is in place,” he said.

And it seems this is going to be a regular event at the county which churns out world-conquering sporting heroes each year.