Dj Vnyash
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii addressed a Church congregation to explain why the statues of Faith Kipyegon and Eliud Kipchoge were poorly crafted.
Speaking at the ACK Bishop Muge Memorial Chapel on Sunday, August 18, he acknowledged the mistakes, attributing them to the lack of experience and resources. He remarked, “I know there were some minor errors, but you understand, as a newcomer, things aren’t always perfect.”
Governor Bii further explained that the project lacked funding from the Central Government, which led to the business community stepping in to adopt the project. He stated, “We didn’t have much money, and we didn’t receive any government funding, so we had to rely on the business community. They promised the statues would be a surprise for the evening, so it wasn’t our fault.”
The statues quickly went viral online, sparking an uproar that eventually led to their removal. Reflecting on the situation, the Governor commented on the swift media attention, saying, “With the media, publicity happens immediately, pa pa pa.”
He had hoped the statues would contribute to branding the City of Champions, but the poor execution led to embarrassment. Laughing, he admitted, “Faith’s face… it looked like a nyangau, and Kipchoge’s… it was too late.”
The images gained global attention, with coverage on BBC, The Guardian, and Aljazeera, leading to widespread embarrassment. Despite the setback, there are now offers to redo the statues properly.
