Kenya’s President William Ruto has dispatched engineers to the residence of the late world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum, with the task of constructing a three-bedroom house.
Kiptum had intended to construct a residence for his family prior to his untimely demise in a tragic traffic incident last Sunday.
The president’s office has refuted local media reports regarding the urgency of preparing the house for Kiptum’s funeral next week.
The family spokesman confirmed that excavations have already begun.
A house is being constructed on a spacious four-acre farm that Kiptum had purchased, located approximately 16km (10 miles) away from the family home in the Rift Valley. Kiptum had intended to build his own home on this property later in the year.
“There are three engineers here who are being supervised by senior government officials,” said family spokesperson Philip Kiplagat in an interview with the BBC.
There is optimism that the house will be completed by the conclusion of the 40-day mourning period.
The funeral of Kiptum is scheduled for 24 February.
Authorities reported that Kiptum, a young father with two children, tragically lost his life when the vehicle he was operating swerved off the road and into a ditch.
Tragically, the accident claimed the life of Gervais Hakizimana, the coach from Rwanda, while a woman passenger sustained injuries.
Kiptum’s father is demanding an investigation into the incident, as he claims that his son had been visited by four unknown individuals prior to the accident.
Local media reports indicate that the suspects have been apprehended and are currently being held by the police for questioning.
The untimely passing of Kiptum, a mere four months after his record-breaking marathon achievement, has sent shockwaves through Kenya and the global athletics community.
He had been preparing to make history by attempting to complete a marathon in under two hours at the Rotterdam marathon in April.
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