- Kenyan freestyle slalom skater Kelvin Kiarie has questioned his proposed nomination as a national hero.
- The National Heroes Nomination website recognises him for his achievements in freestyle slalom skating and representation of Kenya.
- Kiarie says he has never received government support for his international competitions.
- He claims the government owes him Ksh2.75 million in sports awards, in addition to reimbursements.
- The skater has also relied on public contributions to help finance his trip to the World Skate Games in Paraguay.
Kenyan freestyle slalom skater Kelvin Kiarie has raised questions over his proposed nomination as a national hero, saying the recognition does not match the support he claims to have received from the government during his international career.
Kiarie acknowledged the honour but questioned why he was being considered for national recognition when, according to him, the Ministry of Sports has never supported him at any of his international competitions.
The skater made the remarks on Thursday, September 3, 2026, amid an ongoing dispute over funding and payments that has involved senior government officials.
Information published on the National Heroes Nomination website describes Kiarie as a sportsman being considered for recognition because of his exceptional achievements in freestyle slalom skating.
The nomination also identifies him as a multiple African champion who has represented Kenya internationally. Kiarie, while appreciating the recognition, said the government should first explain the apparent contradiction between honouring his achievements and the support he says has been missing.
“While I appreciate the honour, I would like to ask why I have been proposed whilst I have never been supported by the Ministry of Sports to any of my international Competitions upto now?” Kiarie said.
He further claimed that funds owed to him as reimbursements had not been paid. According to the skater, the matter has remained unresolved despite his efforts to have it addressed.
His latest comments come after a public disagreement involving Kiarie, Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Dennis Itumbi, and Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi.
Skater Claims Ksh2.75 Million in Unpaid Awards
Kiarie says his concerns over government payments can be traced back to a meeting he had with Sports PS Elijah Mwangi on May 8, 2026.
According to the skater, discussions during the meeting included a national award scheme for athletes. Under the arrangement he described, athletes would receive Ksh750,000 for a gold medal and Ksh500,000 for a silver medal.
Kiarie says his medal tally qualified him for Ksh2.75 million. He said he had secured three gold medals and one silver medal, bringing the total to Ksh2.25 million from the gold medals and Ksh500,000 from the silver medal.
“I had 3 Gold Medals, 750k × 3 = Ksh. 2.25M + Ksh. 500k (One Silver Medal). Total = Ksh.2.75 Million + Reimbursements,” he said.
The skater claims only one gold medal payment was sent by the government. He said the situation eventually forced him to fund his participation in a competition in China using his own resources.
Kiarie maintains that the remaining Ksh2 million has not been paid. He also said he was unable to establish exactly how much had been disbursed because documents he requested to verify the payments were not provided.
“We requested documents to prove what was paid without success,” he added.
The funding dispute has also coincided with Kiarie’s preparations for the World Skate Games in Paraguay.
With the competition approaching, the skater turned to Kenyans for financial assistance to cover travel and accommodation expenses. He subsequently shared updates on the fundraising effort as contributions came in.
At one stage, Kiarie announced that Kenyans had contributed Ksh237,000, leaving Ksh103,000 to meet his stated target.
“Thankyou Kenyans For Ksh. 237,000 contributions. I am so grateful for the joint efforts for a common good,” he said.
The fundraising total later increased to Ksh250,000 before reaching Ksh321,000.
Kiarie also provided an update on his accommodation costs after a Kenyan stepped in to help clear a significant outstanding balance.
Accommodation Bill Settled Through Public Support
The skater announced that his accommodation had been fully secured after receiving assistance from a Kenyan who contributed approximately Ksh60,000 towards an outstanding bill of Ksh98,000.
“ACCOMMODATION FULLY SORTED A Kenyan Has Helped Us Sort a Big Balance of Accommodation Fees,” Kiarie announced.
His fundraising campaign continued after the accommodation issue was resolved. In another update, Kiarie said total contributions had reached Ksh331,000, leaving Ksh9,000 to complete the amount he was seeking.
The developments have placed renewed attention on the support available to Kenyan athletes competing internationally, particularly those in sports that receive less public attention than the country’s more established disciplines.
For Kiarie, the proposed national hero nomination has therefore become an opportunity to ask broader questions about how athletes are supported before, during and after representing Kenya on the international stage.
