Jonathan Bii Apologises Over Eldoret's Funny Athletes' Statues: "Sura Ya Faith Ilikaa Kama Nyang'au"

• Governor Jonathan Bii disclosed that the ugly statues were made without any support from the government
• According to him, the business community offered to adopt the area and surprise them with two statues, which were later criticised by the public
• Bii noted that the incident attracted global attention, with some professionals now intending to make excellent statues of the athletes

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Uasin Gishu - Governor Jonathan Bii has apologised following the installation of embarrassing sculptures in Eldoret meant to honour athletes.

The statues, intended to celebrate Faith Kipyegon and Eliud Kipchoge for their contributions to Kenya’s global reputation and to elevate Eldoret’s status as a hub for world-class athletes, were unveiled just before Eldoret received city status.

Who made the ugly athletes' statues in Eldoret?

The county boss admitted that the statues were poorly crafted and did not accurately represent the celebrated champions. He explained that the statues were created in the spirit of joy from Kipyegon and Kipchoge’s remarkable achievements.

"There was a mistake. We were just starting and had no support from the government. The business community came up and said they would surprise us with statues. It was not our mistake even God knows. As we waited, two things popped up-their front parts looked like human beings while their backside resembled satan. We did not know what to do.

"Faith Kipyegon's looked like a certain nyang'au. It was not our mistake and it was too late to rectify it because the images had gone viral. The negative publicity went beyond," he hilariously said.

Eldoret funny sculptures go viral

However, Bii acknowledged that the unsightly statues have drawn global attention, making Eldoret a subject of concern worldwide.

He also noted that the statues quickly went viral, prompting other creatives to step in and create more accurate representations of the athletes.

"For the first time on earth, the newest city through the statues which were meant to brand Eldoret as the city of champions, became known globally. BBC, Canada, and Al Jazeera, among others, talked about Eldoret. The news attracted specialist artisans who now want to visit Kenya and make nice statues of the athletes," added Bii.

Uasin Gishu removes funny statues

Meanwhile, following a public uproar from a section of Kenyans, the county government removed the sculptures.

Kenyans raised concerns about the sculptor's workmanship, given that Eldoret is the home of world record holders and many upcoming and promising athletes.

Moreover, Kenyans could not identify the images portrayed by the statues due to their ugly looks.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke