Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has asked the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to reconsider taxing prize money earned by Kenyan athletes, arguing that sporting winnings should be exempt or zero-rated to better reward excellence and discourage tax burdens on national heroes.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate on Thursday, April 30, 2026, Cherargei questioned the taxation of marathon champions, including Sabastian Sawe’s recent earnings, claiming that out of approximately Ksh48.5 million in awards, KRA is set to deduct about Ksh18 million in taxes.

“Mr Speaker, can you believe Sabastian Sawe is winning Ksh48.5 million in awards, but KRA is taking Ksh18 million? KRA should zero-rate. I want to appeal to KRA not to tax the winnings of our athletes and sportsmen. Stop taxing Kenyans who are winning; there are Kenyans who are doing tax evasion,” Cherargei said.

Taxation undermines moral of champions

Cherargei argued that such taxation undermines the morale of sportsmen and women who bring global recognition to the country, proposing that winnings from international competitions be zero-rated or exempted altogether.

“Can you believe an athlete wins millions only for a huge chunk to go to taxes?” Cherargei posed, urging KRA to instead focus on curbing tax evasion rather than taxing achievers in sports.

His remarks come amid nationwide celebrations of Sawe, who recently made history by becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours at the London Marathon, a feat widely hailed as a landmark achievement for Kenya and global athletics.

Sawe’s rewards

President William Ruto has awarded Kenya’s marathon sensation Sabastian Sawe Ksh8 million in recognition of his historic achievement.

The Head of State hosted the 30-year-old at State House, Nairobi, on Thursday, April 30, 2026, where he lauded Sawe for his groundbreaking performance at the London Marathon.

Sawe etched his name in history by becoming the first athlete to run a marathon in under two hours under competitive race conditions, clocking an official time of 1:59:30 as he stormed to victory on Sunday.

“We are here to celebrate a historic achievement of what a human being can achieve. Congratulations to you and your teammates. I am sure they pushed you. Your return to London and set a new record confirms one enduring truth, you were destined for greatness,” he said.