Kigali race winners yet to get prizes seven months later

Kenyan athletes who competed in Kigali International Peace Marathon in May have appealed to organisers to release their cash prizes.

The athletes, who swept marathon titles in the race, are yet to get their cash awards seven months down the line.

The athletes on Wednesday said the race, which took place on May 21, was graced by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, and her Rwanda counterpart Jeannette Kagame.

The athletes who visited Nation Sport offices in Eldoret Wednesday said their plea to organisers to release the prize money has fell on deaf ears.

David Tarus, who came fourth in men’s marathon, said they posed for pictures with dummy cheques after the race and thereafter they were told to give out their bank account numbers to facilitate payment after one week.

“The Kenyan athletes performed well in half and full marathon races and we were expecting to be paid immediately as promised. We gave out our account numbers and they told us we would get payment in a week time,” said Tarus, who is expecting to be paid Sh9.6 million (Rwanda Francs 1.2 million).

Edwin Kemboi who was third in men’s marathon said organisers have been giving them false promises.

“We have been trying to reach the organizers to pay us our money but the response we get is just to wait. We are parents and need that money so that our children can go to school in January,” he said.

Sarah Jerop Lagat, who was third in women’s race, appealed to First Lady Margaret Kenyatta to intervene so that they are paid.