Mashujaa Day: Ruto rewards 15 sports personalities in Kwale
Sarah Moraa reacts after crossing the finish line to win the 800m race during Athletics Kenya World U-20 Trials on June 28, 2024 at Nyayo National Stadium.
What you need to know:
- Those who were feted were grouped into14 categories; liberation freedom, sports, peacemaking, spiritual leadership, philanthropy, human rights, national cohesion and integration, cultural, values and practices as well as arts.
- Others are; scholarships, environmental conservation, indigenous knowledge, entrepreneurship and industry and statesmanship.
World Under-20 800 metres champion, Sarah Moraa, and Paris Paralympics long jump silver medallist, Samson Ojuka, were among 142 Kenyan heroes and heroines feted during the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kwale County Sunday.
Also honoured by President William Ruto were World Under-20 5,000m champion, Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi, the first Kenyan to win a javelin gold medal during the 1978 African Games, Eunice Nekesa, and 1998 Commonwealth Games welterweight silver medallist, Absolom Okinyi Okoth.
Other sports recipients included shooter Pauline Wambeti Munyi, world masters 5,000m champion and world record holder, Francis Kipkoech Bowen, and former AFC Leopards players and team manager Richard Khamasi Madegwa. Tong-Il Moo-Do (Martial Arts) players Salma Ali Abdallah, Elvis Malipe Ole Mpakuanik, and Lona Apiyo Abiero were also recognised.
Kenya’s first karate black belt holder, Stella Ngina Musyoka, Amputees Football coach Peter Achola Oloo, and sports administrator Sarah Atieno Gershom Kiwanuka were acknowledged during the national celebrations held in Kwale for the first time in history.
Musingu Boys High School football coach, Brenden Ichingwa Mwinamo, was also honoured, alongside Emily Ayoti Kubasu Sakaja, the legendary regional 200m and 100m champion, who was recognised posthumously.
Moraa was celebrated for her stellar performance in athletics this year, winning the Africa Senior 800m title in Cameroon in June, before clinching the world under-20 800m gold in Lima, Peru, in August.
Ojuka earned silver in the men's long jump T37 category, setting a new African record of 6.20 metres on September 3 at the Stade de France. He made history as the first Kenyan to win a medal in this discipline at both the Paralympics and the Olympics.
Okinyi was honoured for his contribution to boxing, having won a silver medal at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, and is a three-time East and Central Africa boxing champion.
Nekesa was recognised as the first Kenyan to win a javelin gold medal during the 1978 African Games, where she set an African record of 51.58m.
Munyi was acknowledged for her role in developing Women's Air Rifle sports, winning numerous national and international accolades and medals, including a bronze medal in women’s air rifle at the 13th All-Africa Shooting Championships in Egypt in 2017.
Those who were feted were grouped into14 categories; liberation freedom, sports, peacemaking, spiritual leadership, philanthropy, human rights, national cohesion and integration, cultural, values and practices as well as arts.
Others are; scholarships, environmental conservation, indigenous knowledge, entrepreneurship and industry and statesmanship.
