Sports CS Ababu Namwamba on Wednesday handed over Sh5 million in support to the family of Kelvin Kiptum’s Rwandese coach Gervais Hakizimana.
Hakizimana and Kiptum died in a car accident in the Kaptagat area along the Elgeyo Marakwet-Ravine road on February 11, 2024.
Family, friends and leaders from the government gathered in Rwanda for a requiem mass and burial at Rusororo cemetery.
CS Ababu who attended his burial sent the country’s condolences to the family and friends of coach Hakizimana.
He said both countries have lost an icon who was Kiptum’s coach and mentor.
“On behalf of the government, I have brought some support for the family in this difficult moment. The government of Kenya will be donating Sh5 million to support the family,” he said.
“It was a collaboration made in heaven, observing Kiptum and Hakizimana you could see that he was not just a coach, they were brothers. Brothers in life as they are brothers in death. ”
The funeral service was held at Kabuga Catholic Church.
Hakizimana made a significant impact on Rwandan athletics as an athlete and as a coach.
One of his notable achievements was discovering and grooming Kiptum, who went on to set a new world marathon record in October 2023.
Kiptum is set to be interred at his home on Friday, February 23.
The 24-year-old runner will be laid to rest in his hometown of Chepkorio in northwest Kenya.
President William Ruto is set to attend the burial.
His family had initially communicated February 24 as the burial date.
State officials who spoke to the Star said the burial was rescheduled to Friday due to President Ruto’s trip to Namibia on Saturday.
The government has taken over the planning of the burial and will shoulder all costs related to it.
A three-bedroom house is being built in honour of Kiptum. It will be handed over to the family on Thursday.
His body is expected to leave an Eldoret morgue on Thursday for a night vigil at his home ahead of the burial on Friday.
Kiptum is survived by a wife and two sons aged seven years and four.
Kiptum’s death happened six days after the IAAF ratified his record of 2:00:35.
Kiptum broke Eliud Kipchoge’s world record in Chicago, in October last year, running 26.1 miles in two hours and 35 seconds.
