- Elijah Lagat, ex-MP for Emgwen and Chesumei, dies at Eldoret hospital.
- Leaders mourn him as a national hero in athletics and politics.
- Lagat was a Boston Marathon champion and later a two-term legislator.
- His legacy spans sports, public service, and youth advocacy.
Former Member of Parliament and celebrated marathoner Elijah Lagat has died. Reports indicate he passed away on the morning of Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at a hospital in Eldoret, where he had been receiving treatment.
His death has sparked a wave of tributes from leaders and citizens who hailed him as a man of humility, service, and national pride.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang mourned him as both a sports legend and a servant leader.
“Hon. Lagat was a distinguished leader whose legacy will be remembered not only in the halls of Parliament, but also in the hearts of the people he served with dedication and humility,” Sang said while extending condolences to his family and constituents.
Nandi Woman Representative Cynthia Muge highlighted Lagat’s remarkable journey from athletics to politics, describing him as a “true hero whose grit inspired generations.”
Tinderet MP Julius Melly, who served with him in Parliament, recalled him as a humble colleague dedicated to community service.
Lagat’s running career began in 1993 after a doctor advised him to exercise for health reasons. Within four years, he was competing internationally, clocking his personal best of 2:07:41 at the Berlin Marathon in 1997.
He went on to win the Prague Marathon in 1998 and, most memorably, the Boston Marathon in 2000, edging Ethiopia’s Gezahegne Abera in the race’s closest finish on record. That same year, he represented Kenya at the Sydney Olympics.
Though his performances later declined, his name remained etched in global athletics history.
After retiring from competitive running, Lagat turned to politics. He unsuccessfully contested Emgwen in 2002 but returned in 2007 on an ODM ticket to win the seat.
With the creation of Chesumei Constituency in 2013, he became its first MP, serving until 2017. During his tenure, he held key committee roles in Labour, Sports, Health, and Parliamentary Catering.
In 2023, he was appointed to the NACADA board, where he worked on youth and anti-drug campaigns.
Elijah Lagat’s journey from a health-conscious jogger to a world marathon champion, then to a national legislator, remains one of Kenya’s most inspiring stories. His life of resilience, leadership, and service leaves a lasting mark in both athletics and public service.
