Wangari Maathai’s inaugural marathon officially launched, expects elite athletes to take part on March 3

Wangari Maathai Foundation (WMF) has officially unveiled the inaugural Wangari Maathai marathon to be held on March 3, 2024.

The race is in honour of the late iconic environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Wangari Muta Maathai who championed the conservation of the environment and rights of the marginalised in society such as women and children, will start and end at the Karura Forest.

During the 75th International Human Rights Day celebrations on Wednesday at Karura Forest, KFEET grounds, activists calledf for more efforts towards environment conservation and gender equality.
The foundation’s team captain, Irene Tindi, said plans for the high profile race were afoot and that appropriate arrangements had been made to ensure a world class marathon is realised.

She said WMF expects to host a number of Kenya’s elite athletes and upcoming talented runners for the 21km race.

“ March 3, 2024 will also be the African Environmental Day, which African Union (AU) has renamed in honour of Wangari Maathai because she is known as the ‘power of one’ and as we sat as an organisation and decided that it was better to celebrate that day with a marathon event because our great nation is known for world champions,” she said.

Tindi said participants will have to take part in various races with lucrative prizes on offer. The races will be 21km, 10km, 5km and a family run of 2km for the kids.

‘’Last month, His Majesty King Charles endorsed the marathon in the presence of marathon greats Eliud Kipchoge and Douglas Wakihuri and it’s an indication of a major event coming,” Tindi said.

The event organisers expect at least 3,000 participants at the marathon.
Meanwhile, Kipchoge has been handed the role of mentoring the U20 World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team (ART), using his great experience in the sport.