A galaxy of elite runners will be among thousands of enthusiastic Kenyans taking part in the First Lady’s Half Marathon at Nyayo National Stadium Sunday.
And with only a day to go, more sponsors topped up the Half Marathon kitty with an additional Sh 12 million bringing the total funds raised to-date to Sh201 million excluding money raised through registration fees.
Donations presented to the First Lady at State House today included Sh 10 million from Kenya Pipeline, Sh 1 million from Kenindia Assurance and Sh 500, 000 a piece from Liquid Telcom and a delegation of women leaders from Machakos County led by the County First Lady Mrs Lilian Mutua.
Among the elite runners who have confirmed participation in the event include sensational Olympian and World 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi.
Cythia Chelagat who won the 10km female race at the inaugural First Lady’s Half Marathon in 2014 will also be returning to the race after missing out in 2015. She will be joined in the 10 km event by Agnes Jesang, the World Military Games 3000 Silver medalist.
Other athletes of note listed for the event are Moses Kosgey and Andrew Kimutai the Gold and Silver medallists at the 2015 edition of the 21km men’s race.
Those taking part as groups include 2000 health professionals, 500 entries from Central Bank, 200 runners from the Public Service Commission led by chairperson Professor Margaret Kobia and 100 women from Machakos County.
Organizers of the event, the Homeboyz Activate said 70,000 registration forms are in circulation, and over 40,000 of them had been taken up by today’s (Friday) deadline and were considering extending the registration period until tomorrow ( Saturday).
Just like in the past marathons, this year’s event is expected to be graced by a huge turnout of dignitaries such as governors, ambassadors, cabinet secretaries and captains of industry.
While presenting the Kenya Pipeline contribution , KPC chairman John Ngumi invited the First Lady to visit Makueni County where the parastatal is rehabilitating the environment and also assisting people affected by the recent oil spillage.
And Liquid Telcom, the firm that installed the free WI-FI in Nakuru also volunteered to install similar internet connectivity to all the 36 mobile clinics already distributed to the counties and the remaining 11 units once delivered to the regions by the Beyond Zero.
The Firm’s Chief Executive Officer Ben Roberts told the First Lady his company is ready and willing to ensure free internet connectivity in the fully kitted Mobile Clinics.
Thanking all the sponsors who have so far supported the marathon financially, the First Lady described as amazing the support she has received from Kenyans.
Besides the mobile clinics to the counties, the First Lady said many more such facilities as still needed especially amongst nomadic communities.
She also assured Kenyans of her commitment to ensure the country achieves Zero maternal and child deaths.