Educate Athletes, First Lady To Marakwet Leaders

The First Lady, who was in Elgeyo Marakwet County, asked leaders to support athletes and complete their education despite huge earnings from different competitions.

She further asked leaders to device financial lessons to help the athletes with financial literacy in order to make sound investments.

“I know that the thrill of earning thousands of dollars through winning of races is good but I urge the Governor and other leaders to ensure that all our athletes stay in school," said the First Lady.

The First Lady described education as the most important inheritance any parent can bequeath the children.

“Both the boy child and the girl child need to be given equal opportunities to enable them grow into productive and responsible members of our society,” she noted.

RETROGRESSIVE CULTURES

She recognized the major contributions that athletics has done for the county including investments such as the Potters School and the Lornah Kiplagat Sports Academy and Stadium.

“Young girls and boys should be encouraged to emulate our national athletic heroes and heroines. Through education and training, they can become as good as the current athletic stars if not much better.”

"For the girl child to realize her full potential," the First Lady noted, "she must be released from retrogressive cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation  (FGM) and forced early marriages."

“We must break the chains that ensnare the girl child, such as the FGM and early marriages and set them free through education to give them a chance to pursue their dreams.”

The First lady said both girls and boys should be given equal opportunities through good examples and mentoring to enable them become world changers.

“Let us give our children the opportunity to become all they can be and continue to put Kenya on the world map,” she added.

COUNTY OF CHAMPIONS

Mrs Kenyatta was speaking at Iten Sports Ground in Elgeyo Marakwet where she delivered the 21st fully equipped Beyond Zero mobile clinic to the county.

Elgeyo Marakwet County is home to some of the greatest athletic stars in the country including the current world's fastest woman in the half marathon, Florence Kiplagat, Ednah Kiplagat, Vivian Cheruiyot, the World Junior Champion Viola Kibiwott, Mary Kaitany, Dennis Kimeto, Ezekiel Kemboi, Daniel Komen and Wilson Kipsang among others.

The County is popularly referred to as the County of champions.

Elgeyo Marakwet County Governor Alex Tolgos feted the First Lady as a national champion before handing a symbolic key to the county and invited her to establish a home in Elgeyo Marakwet.

County Assembly Speaker Albert Kochei asked the First Lady to consider holding the 2016 First Lady’s Half Marathon in the County.

By Maureen Murimi