Eldoret Prepares for City Status After Last-Minute Removal of Athlete Statues

Eldoret is all set to officially become Kenya's fifth city, with the conferment ceremony drawing high-level attention. President William Ruto, along with other government officials, local leaders, and renowned athletes, will be present at the Eldoret Sports Club to celebrate the milestone.

The president will host an elaborate reception and breakfast for Olympic champions at the Eldoret State Lodge on Thursday morning. Following this, he will lead a procession, joined by the athletes and dignitaries, into the Sports Club for the formal inauguration of Eldoret as a city.

Key government officials, including Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, and government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, were on-site until late in the night ensuring final preparations for the big event.

Statue Controversy

As part of the city's preparations, Uasin Gishu County embarked on a beautification campaign. This involved planting trees along key roads and installing statues at various prominent locations within Eldoret.

On Wednesday afternoon, three statues of athletes, along with representations of milk, wheat, and maize, were installed in different parts of the city as symbols of the county's rich agricultural and sports heritage.

However, what was meant to celebrate Eldoret quickly turned into a point of contention. Images of the statues circulated widely on social media, with many Kenyans criticizing the quality of the artwork. This prompted county officials to remove the statues late Wednesday night, relocating them to an undisclosed area to avoid further public ridicule.