Laban Lekuroito lives among over 800 victims of bandits’ attacks who fled the volatile Mukutani and were currently living at temporary Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at Eldume in Baringo South Sub-County.
“He is our hero, despite the pressing challenges back at home, he beat the odds to win second in the highly competitive event” the celebration organizer Leonard Keis said on Tuesday.
He was welcomed with a calabash of fermented sour milk, a rare traditional ceremony preserved by Ilchamus pastoral community to recognize and celebrate a hero.
Lekuroito was the second best in 200meters race won by Victor Kiplimo from Kibwari Primary school during the National event that went down in Shanzu teachers college in Mombasa on Monday and Tuesday last week.
His parents Jackson (Father) and Mother Pauline Lekuroito are also living at the camp, although they suffer in the bondage of poverty after all their livestock were driven away by suspected armed pokot bandits.
“I curse the bandits” said Lekuroito urging the government to intervene faster and resettle them back to their Mukutani homes.
No shoes
Keis said after the boy was picked among the champions to represent Rift Valley at the Nationals, Lekuroito had no single pair of sports shoes.
“So we had to arrange for an urgent fund contribution at the IDP camp to support him by buying him a pair of shoe, a sweater and handed him some pocket money” he said.
Furthermore, he said the boy used to practice at the camp “so we were full of confidence that he will produce good results” Keis said.
The boy said he was well repapered and he is always confident and determined to shine both nationally and internally.
During the event, Rift Valley region was ranked first position followed by Nyanza and Western respectively.
Pathetic life
Lekuroito is among 35 Class eight candidates displaced from Mukutani primary school and were currently spending in the cold at Ol’Samburbur primary school.
“Because Eldume camp is far from school, we have decided to spend at school, when day’s lessons are over, we spread our bedding to sleep in the classrooms and we use our uniforms as the blankets” said Lekuroito.
He said they now suffer of cold weather due to ongoing heavy rains and floods always tore through the walls of the iron-sheet walled classrooms.
The school head teacher Jackson Lecher said the pupils survive with the small foodstuff donated recently by the government and well-wishers.
“The school has not been registered among those benefiting from the regular school feeding programme so we have to survive” He said adding that they were among 330 pupils who fled attacks back at Mukutani Primary.
Lecher said last year he had his 38 KCPE candidates sit for their national exams at Marigat primary school.
-Joseph Kangogo