Kelvin Kiptum’s father: ‘I want my son's grave next to my house’
Workers during construction of a house for world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum, who died together with his coach Gervais Hakizimana in a road crash at Flax on the Eldoret-Kaptagat-Eldama Ravine road on Sunday night, at his farm in Naiberi, Uasin Gishu County on February 17, 2024.
What you need to know:
- One of Kelvin Kiptum’s key projects this year was to construct a decent house for his parents and his family.
- Kiptum’s plans might be realised as the national government is constructing a house for Mzee Cheruiyot and Kiptum’s widow.
The wishes of mzee Samson Cheruiyot, father of the late Kelvin Kiptum, to live next to the grave of his only child, might be realised after all as the government embarks on the construction of houses for them.
The contractor is working round the clock to deliver the two houses, one for Kiptum’s widow Asenath Rotich, and another for Kiptum’s parents.
The houses are being built adjacent to one another, inside the family homestead.
Before he met his untimely death last Sunday through a road accident that also took the life of his Rwandan coach Gervias Hakizimana, one of Kelvin Kiptum’s key projects this year was to construct a decent house for his parents and his family.
It has also emerged that the world marathon record holder from Chepsamo village in Chepkorio, Elgeyo Marakwet County, had acquired land in the Naiberi area, some 20 kilometres from Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu County, where he was planning to relocate his family.
In an interview this week, Asenath indicated that they had come up with a plan for the house, and Kiptum had promised her that they would relocate to their new home by April.
“Kiptum had big plans and one of them was to construct a good house for the family. He had promised that we would soon relocate but it is unfortunate he didn’t live to accomplish this,” said the wife.
Kiptum’s plans might be realised as the national government is constructing a house for Mzee Cheruiyot and Kiptum’s widow. The houses should be delivered within seven days.
Yesterday when Nation Sport visited the family, the homestead was a beehive of activity as the contractor raced against time to beat the deadline.
On Saturday evening, masons were putting the final touches on the foundation slab.
Construction started on Friday, with Kenya Power employees connecting the family home to the national grid before construction works began.
The family’s spokesman, Philip Kiplagat, said that the national government had sent engineers to the family home on orders of President William Ruto.
Kiptum, who died in an accident last Sunday alongside his coach Garvies Hakizimana at the Eldama Ravine-Eldoret after their vehicle veered off the road, will be buried at his farm in Naiberi, Uasin Gishu County on Friday.
On Saturday, the coach’s body was flown to Kigali, Rwanda.
Construction company Vaghjiyani Enterprises Limited has put about 50 workers on the construction site to finish the work before Thursday.
The light gauge steel technology, which the company is employing, is one of the simplest and fastest ways to accomplish a dream house.
Uasin Gishu County Governor Jonathan Bii inspected the site when he visited the family. Governor Bii eulogised Kiptum as a hero, terming him one of the best athletes to have made remarkable achievements in athletics in a short time.
“I have witnessed a notable infrastructural progress at Kiptum’s farm and we would like to thank President William Ruto for the support to the athlete’s family. We are still sending our condolences to the family and the whole athletics fraternity,” said Bii.
