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Preparations for the burial of World Marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum are on top gear even as his coach Garvais Hakizimana’s family demand for a thorough probe into the circumstances surrounding the accident which claimed the lives of the duo.

Kiptum will be laid to rest on Friday at his Naiberi farm in Uasin Gishu county while Hakizimana’s burial is scheduled for Wednesday in Kigali, Rwanda.

The two died last week following a road accident on Kaptagat-Ravine Road.

The government is in the process of setting up two houses belonging to Kiptum’s widow and parents at Naiberi area where the star athlete had acquired a parcel of land before his demise.

By yesterday, electricity had already been connected to the area. Construction Company Vaghjani Enterprise Ltd has put up about 50 workers on the site to finish the two houses before Thursday.

The company is employing light steel technology which is one of the fastest ways of constructing houses.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei who inspected the ongoing construction yesterday said the government will support Kiptum’s family.

World map

“Kiptum was a star that was becoming brighter everyday but unfortunately, he died when the world was waiting to see what more he had in store concerning Athletics,” said Koskei.

He said Kiptum was a star who put the country on the world map and deserves a befitting send-off.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii who accompanied Koskei on his part said Kiptum’s legacy will live forever. “The lasting legacy of the late world marathon record holder, Kelvin Kiptum, lives on, marked by his remarkable achievements in athletics that elevated our country’s standing both locally and internationally,” said Bii.

Kiptum’s body will leave Eldoret Hospital Mortuary on Thursday for his home in Chepsamo village in Chepkorio in Keiyo South for an overnight stay.

The body will then be taken to Chepsamo primary school for a requiem mass before being buried in Naiberi in Uasin Gishu County on Friday.

A post-mortem conducted on Wednesday on the body of Hakizimana revealed that he bled to death after sustaining head injuries in the accident.

Meanwhile, Hakizimana’s family who picked his body at Eldoret Hospital Mortuary on Saturday ahead of his burial in Rwanda on Wednesday said they were satisfied with the report but called for a probe into the incident.

“As a family, we are not satisfied with the investigations. We are wondering why one person survived the accident considering the way the car crashed,” said Uwase Sandrine, coach Hakizimana’s niece.

The family has called on the Kenyan authorities to follow up the matter to its conclusion and establish what really caused the tragic accident.

Hakizimana’s family and Athletics Kenya officials on Saturday collected the body at Eldoret Hospital Mortuary before making their way to Eldoret International Airport before departing to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport then to Kigali.

Smooth process

AK Youth Development Director Barnaba Korir thanked the Kenyan Government for the support through Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba.

“The process has been smooth since the Kenyan Government helped to hasten the process. A Kenyan delegation will attend the burial in Rwanda,” said Korir.

Hakizimana, who is the Rwanda 3,000 steeplechase national record holder, started running with Kiptum in 2019.

He made unsuccessful attempts at Marathon before venturing into coaching.

Investigators have since intensified probe into the circumstances that resulted in the death of the duo.
Detectives familiar with the probe yesterday told People Daily that initial investigation revealed that the vehicle which claimed the life of the athlete had no mechanical problem. Kiptum and Hakizimana died on Sunday at 11pm.

Kiptum was driving a Toyota Premio with two passengers on board-Garvais and a lady identified as Sharon Kosgey heading to Chepkorio.

According to police reports, Kiptum lost control of the vehicle, veered off the road, hit a tree before landing in a ditch about 60 metres away.