Sport

Kelvin Kiptum, Marathon World Record Holder, Dies in Road Mishap

By Web News 446

The men’s marathon world record holder, Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum, 24, has died in a road accident in his home country.

He was killed alongside his coach, Rwanda’s Gervais Hakizimana, in a car on a road in western Kenya on Sunday.

Kiptum made a breakthrough in 2023 as a rival to compatriot Eliud Kipchoge – one of the greatest marathon runners.

And it was in Chicago last October that Kiptum bettered Kipchoge’s achievement, clocking 26.2 miles (42km) in two hours and 35 seconds.

The two athletes had been named in Kenya’s provisional marathon team for the Paris Olympics later this year.

Paying tribute to Kiptum, Kenyan Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba wrote on X: “Devastatingly sickening!! Kenya has lost a special gem. Lost for words.”

Kenya’s opposition leader and former prime minister, Raila Odinga, said the country had lost “a true hero” and was mourning “a remarkable individual… and Kenyan athletics icon”.

Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, said Kiptum was “an incredible athlete leaving an incredible legacy”.

The road accident happened at about 23:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on Sunday, police were quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

Giving further details of the crash, police said Kiptum was the driver, and the vehicle “lost control and rolled, killing the two on the spot”.

A spokesman quoted by AFP added that the third passenger – who was female – had been injured and “rushed to hospital”.

Just last week, his team announced that he would attempt to run the distance in under two hours at the Rotterdam marathon – a feat that has never been achieved in open competition.

The rise to fame for the father-of-two had been rapid – he only ran his first full marathon in 2022.

He made an instant impact over the distance as he ran the then-fourth fastest time on record (2:01:53) to win the Valencia Marathon before setting a course record of 2:01:25 at the London Marathon in April 2023.

Six months later, in just his third marathon, Kiptum took 34 seconds off the world record time in Chicago in his final race.

He had already honed a distinct tactical approach that saw him run with the pack for 30kms before upping the pace and going out on his own for the remainder of the race.

Kiptum competed in his first major competition in 2018 running in borrowed shoes because he could not afford a pair of his own.

He was among a new crop of Kenyan athletes who began their careers on the road, breaking away from the past tradition of athletes starting on the track before switching to longer distances.

Kiptum told the BBC last year that his unusual choice was simply determined by a lack of resources.

“I had no money to travel to track sessions,” he explained.

His coach, Hakizimana, 36, was a retired Rwandese runner. Last year, he spent months helping Kiptum target the world record.

Their relationship as coach and athlete began in 2018, but the pair first met when the world record holder was much younger.

“I knew him when he was a little boy, herding livestock barefooted,” Hakizimana recalled last year. “It was in 2009, I was training near his father’s farm, he’d come kicking at my heels and I would chase him away.

“Now, I am grateful to him for his achievement.”

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Foreign

Kenyans Groan over Astronomic Rise in Fuel Prices

By Web News 400

The highest fuel prices in recent memory have been announced by Kenya’s regulator, to the fury of many in the country.

Overnight the cost of petrol rose to a record high of about 212 shillings ($1.40; £1.20) per litre in the capital Nairobi – with the prices of different types of fuel rising by about 9% to 20%.

The move comes despite countrywide protests in recent months against high living costs and the government’s economic policies.

It’s going to be “painful” and “it may not work”, said President William Ruto’s chief economic adviser David Ndii on X (formerly Twitter), adding that he was not going to sell false hope to Kenyans.

Both Mr Ndii and the fuel prices have been trending topics on social media.

“[Mr] Ndii has told us the bitter truth that we are repugnant fools and stupid morons for having believed that people who used a wheelbarrow as a party symbol had any idea of fixing the country. It is our fault for believing them,” a Kenyan said on X.

“Matatus [public minivans] use diesel which is the means of transport for the poor, gone up by 21.32 shillings. The poor majority use kerosene, has gone up by 33.13 shillings…,” another said.

President Ruto removed fuel subsidies when he came into office last September.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Foreign

Seven Female Governors to be Sworn-in in Kenyan

By Web News 776

At least seven of the 45 regional governors elected in Kenya’s general election were women, compared to just three in the previous election.

The incoming governors will be sworn in Thursday.

It was a record win for women as the seven governor-elects ushered a new wave of female leaders occupying influential positions previously won by men.

Governors are in charge of huge budgets and are expected to spearhead development in their counties.

The seven are Susan Kihika (Nakuru County), Fatuma Achani (Kwale County), Kawira Mwangaza (Meru County), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay County), Cecily Mbarire (Embu County), Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos County) and Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga County).

Kenya’s first female Chief Justice Martha Koome has appointed 45 judges to preside over the swearing-in ceremony of the incoming governors.

More than 20 women candidates vied for governor posts in the just concluded elections.

Despite women making up nearly half of registered voters, very few female leaders hold elective positions.

While the number of women elected to parliament rose by 20% in 2017, the country still trails regional neighbours like Rwanda in terms of gender parity.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Sport

El-Bakkali Ends Kenyan Reign with Steeplechase Gold

By Web News 475

Olympic champion Soufiane El-Bakkali of Morocco has produced a tactical masterclass to end Kenya’s 15-year reign in the 3000 meters steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States.

El-Bakkali took his time before surging into the lead with just under 200 meters to go at Eugene’s Hayward Field, with a lethal late kick after the final water jump powering him to Gold in a time of 8min 25.13sec.

Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma silver medalist behind El-Bakkali at last year’s Tokyo Olympics was second in 8:26.01.

Kenya’s reigning world champion Conseslus Kipruto settled for the Bronze in 8:27.92.

El-Bakkali’s masterpiece was almost a carbon copy of last year’s Olympic final when the Moroccan again conjured a devastating late kick in the final 200m to surge to Gold.

Natably, El-Bakkali’s victory brought an end to Kenya’s 15-year dominance of the steeplechase at the world championships.

Kenyan runners had won gold in the event in every edition of the championships since Brimin Kipruto’s Gold in Osaka in 2007.

It was a happy return to Eugene for El-Bakkali, who got his first taste of international competition at Hayward Field in 2014 when he competed in the World Under-20 Championships.

“That was my first international experience. I return eight years later as a champion,” El-Bakkali said.

El-Bakkali said the course was very tactical, and slow while he positioned very strong in the last lap in the 400m race.

FRCN Abuja/Adetutu Adetule

Foreign

Kenyan MP Faked Sitting Exams – Witness

By Web News 542

A Kenyan MP who is accused of forging his academic papers did not sit his final year exams at the secondary school he claims to have attended, an ex-teacher has told a court.

The MP, Oscar Sudi, had claimed that he sat the exams at Highway Secondary School in 2006.

But the school’s former principal said the index number Mr Sudi claims to be his belonged to another student, adding the MP did not register nor sit the examination at the school.

The MP has been charged with forging a diploma certificate and a secondary school certificate. He denies the charges and is out on bail.

Kenya’s election laws require parliamentary aspirants to show proof of secondary education.

Hearing of the case continues.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

Foreign

Obama’s Step-Grandmother Dies in Hospital

By Web News 678

Former US President, Barack Obama’s step-grandmother, Sarah Obama has died at a hospital in Kenya at the age of 99.

According to her daughter, Marsat, She died early on Monday at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital in the Western town of Kisumu,

Report Says Her family is making arrangements to have her buried on Monday at a cemetery in the town.

She was fondly referred to as Granny Sarah by the former president.

Mrs Obama defended her grandson during the US elections when he was said to be Muslim and not born in the US.

She was the third and youngest wife of the former president’s grandfather.

BBC.