Shortly after President William Ruto ordered the construction of a three-bedroomed house for World Marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum who perished in a road accident, engineers, experts and machines hit the ground running to have the house ready in time for the hero’s funeral.
Excavation started in earnest with locals gathering to see men, women and machines at work to deliver the house in record time.
“There are three engineers here who are being supervised by senior government officials,” family spokesperson Philip Kiplagat told the BBC.
With the latest technology in use, day one saw decking foundation done with the team using Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) and concrete placed on the suspended slab, ready for the next phase.
As the house which is being constructed at the athlete’s Cherunya farm comes up, contractors have also been sent to the area to install electricity.
READ: Why family of Gervais Hakizimana, coach to Kelvin Kiptum, has rejected autopsy report
The athlete’s home area is also witnessing an upgrade in infrastructure with roads being improved ahead of his burial that is planned for February 24, 2024.
Initial reports that have since been refuted by the President’s office indicated that the house has to be ready by Kiptum’s funeral next week.
Body of Kelvin Kiptum's coach flown to Rwanda
Kiptum died in a road accident alongside his Rwandese coach Garvais Hakizimana at Kaptagat on the Elgeyo Marakwet - Ravine road on Sunday, February 11, 2024
Hakizimana’s body was flown to his home country of Rwanda ahead of his upcoming funeral.
His family has however rejected the autopsy results and called for further investigations.
Eldoret Hospital as pathologist Dr. Benson Macharia “confirmed that “He died of an intercranial bleeding due to head injury which is consistent with head injuries. The neck and head had fractures, which are consistent with the accident report.”
Sandrine, the niece of the deceased, voiced their rejection of the report, highlighting discrepancies between the findings and Hakizimana's condition as witnessed by the family.
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"Considering the car that was found when we found after the accident, and the way it was crashed, we are just wondering how can someone come out of such a car without having at least wounds," she said.