Kenya: Wanjiru’s Final Journey

John Ngirachu and James Kariuki

11 June 2011

Nairobi — Thousands of Kenyans have attended the burial of Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru.

At the stadium in Nyahururu where the funeral service was held, the hearse bearing his remains went on a lap before stopping at the dais as the mourners stood in respect.

In it was the casket where the prodigy lay, on top of it a blue Kenya Police flag, a peaked cap and a belt he perhaps rarely donned in his other life as a corporal.

At Beijing, the world was stunned by the 21-year-old who weathered the heat and pollution to beat a star-studded field with so much ease it looked improbable.

That he was talented and headed for greater achievements was not in doubt, with London Marathon organiser David Bedford describing him Saturday as “the best marathon runner we have seen”.

“I know (Martin) Lel might argue with that but for a man to win the Olympics, London, Chicago and take the World Marathon Majors at 24 is a great thing,” said Mr Bedford.

Athletics legend Kipchoge Keino, who also heads the National Olympics Committee, said the athletics fraternity was banking on Wanjiru to successfully defend his title at next year’s games in London.

“Who leaves home at the age of 15 and expects to excel in a foreign land? Wanjiru was at his prime and we were sure he would defend the Olympics title next year,” Athletics Kenya secretary general David Okeyo said.

In a message delivered on his behalf by local MP Ndiritu Muriithi, President Kibaki said Wanjiru “inspired hope to the youth of Kenya and his death is a great loss to the nation.”

As they spoke, Wanjiru’s last born, one-year-old Simon Njoroge, played at his mother Terezah Njeri’s knee, while his sister Anna Wanjiru watched the goings-on.

Conspicuously absent was Hannah Wanjiru, the athlete’s mother, the woman who brought the athlete up single-handedly and encouraged him to nurture his talent.

The acrimonious relationship between Hannah and Ms Njeri deteriorated rapidly in the wake of the athlete’s death at his home mid last month.

It played out in the media, with Hannah accusing Ms Njeri of killing her son and then moved to the courts, where the elder woman successfully stopped his burial.

She failed in her last attempt to do so on Friday, with Justice Anyara Emukule ruling barely 24 hours to the time the athlete was laid to rest that there would be no reason to stop the funeral.

Hannah had vowed to stop the burial by any means possible but her brother John Mwihia told the Sunday Nation the family had agreed to allow Njeri to bury her husband but they would not attend the funeral.

In her tribute to her husband read on her behalf, Ms Njeri acknowledged that their relationship was rocky and hinted at the infidelities that were its central cause.

“I am learning through your mistakes that to be great you have to be weak at times. You too were a human being. I can’t say that there were no tears, no heartbreaks, no betrayals and no wrong,” said Ms Njeri.

“All I know is that you loved me,” she said of the man she described as “a husband, a love, a friend, a friend, a confidant.”

Later, crowds braved a heavy downpour as a mournful tune was played on the bugle and 21 blanks were fired in the air by his graveside in his honour.

Ol Kalou MP Erastus Mureithi said more should be done to prepare the athletes to manage the fame and fortune that comes with success in their careers.

“When our children become celebrities, the government must do something to support them. In America they have accountants, lawyers, doctors, family counsellors and managers for them,” said Mr Mureithi.

AllAfrica – All the Time