A violation’: Kenyan town removes athlete statues after uproar about unrecognisable features

Authorities in a Kenyan town known for its athletics prowess rushed to remove statues of runners on Wednesday night that some people had deemed shoddy, on the eve of an event to confer city status on the municipality.

The Rift Valley town of Eldoret, home to many great runners, had earlier this week put up a number of thematic pieces of art to showcase its agricultural and sports heritage. The sculptures included statues of athletes and one of a maize cob next to a wheat stalk.

Photos of the artworks attracted uproar on social media, as Kenyans poked fun at them and criticised the town’s administration and the sculptors.

One of the statues that faced ridicule depicted a woman running while holding a miniature Kenyan flag in her left hand. Social media users were quick to pour scorn on the statue’s unrecognisable face and exaggerated features.

The statues were removed overnight before President William Ruto officially designated Eldoret a city.

The town this week unveiled several artistic works, including three statues of athletes and other monuments such as a maize cob and a milk fountain.

They were supposed to represent the area’s sports and agricultural heritage and were erected at various strategic roundabouts in the town.

But the artworks immediately drew widespread criticism, becoming objects of ridicule rather than the pride they were supposed to elicit.

A Kenyan who shared a photo of a statue of a female athlete suspected to represent 1,500m world-record holder Faith Kipyegon, said the works represented “our collective mediocrity as a country”.

“It’s a disgrace calling it a Faith Kipyegon statue,” another Kenyan on X said.

Yet another X user shared a purported statue of marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge terming it a “joke”, saying “whoever did this will not see heaven”.

On Thursday morning, local media shared images of an empty pedestal where one of the statues had stood.

A local reporter told the BBC that county officials removed the three statues on Wednesday night, two representing female athletes and one of a male, taking them to an unknown location.

The authorities have not indicated who they represent but social media users have described one as a statue of Kipyegon and another of Kipchoge.

But their depiction of the athletes has been described as “shameless”, “embarrassing” and “substandard”.

Kenyans online have been welcoming the removal of the statues. It was not clear whether they would be replaced, or when.

Ahead of the ceremony to declare Eldoret Kenya’s fifth city, President Ruto hosted athletes who won medals at the 2024 Olympics.

They were each rewarded with money in accordance with a government scheme meant to motivate athletes for good performance.

Kenya was the highest-ranked African country at the Paris Olympics, coming 17th on the medal table with four golds and a total of 11 medals.

Kipyegon won the 1,500m title in a new Olympic record of 3min 51.29sec, the first woman to win three consecutive golds in the event.

She also took silver in the 5,000m.

However, Kipchoge did not finish the marathon after a back injury forced him to drop out.