Uhuru hosts Olympic medallists at State House, awards them cash

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday received representatives of the triumphant Kenyan contingent to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and announced cash rewards of Shs 1 million, 750,000 and 500,000 for Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists respectively.

The Head of State further announced a uniform token of Shs 200,000 for all athletes and officials, including the Paralympics team, participating in delayed Summer Games.

The President thanked the Olympians for their outstanding performances that saw Kenya top the African medal chart, and challenged the sporting fraternity to ensure the country continues to excel on the global stage.

Kenyatta’s move comes in the backdrop of a backlash from critics and the general public over the government’s alleged shambolic treatment of the Olympians upon their return home.

This came after Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni dished out top-of-the -range cars to the country’s Olympians who won medals at the Games, while also announcing a monthly grant for the athletes, as well as committing to build houses for the parents of the triumphant athletes.