Govt officials meet Kenyan skater Kelvin Kiarie after continental heroics
By Luke Oluoch, May 8, 2026Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports Salim Mvurya, alongside Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi, hosted renowned Kenyan roller skater Kelvin Kiarie on Friday, May 8, 2026, to officially recognise his recent international triumphs.
During the meeting, the officials congratulated Kiarie for his outstanding achievements, which have bolstered Kenya’s sporting credentials on both continental and global stages.
In line with the National Awarding Scheme, the Ministry added that it honoured and awarded Kiarie for his collective wins across all international competitions, though the details of the awards remained undisclosed
Govt plea to athletes
Addressing the challenges faced by athletes in emerging disciplines, the CS urged sportsmen and women to formally register with the sports registrar.
“This will legitimise and protect their efforts, especially in the absence of compliant federations,” the official stated. “I have further urged teams representing Kenya to consistently notify the Ministry of their calendars to facilitate structured support and coordination.”
The government’s intervention comes after Kiarie’s skating feats across the continent appear to go largely unrecognised by top sports circles.
Kiarie’s documented struggles
The Roysambu-based skater has recently generated a significant social media buzz, not only for his technical acumen but also for his documented struggles as an unsponsored athlete.
Earlier on Friday, Kiarie took to social media to thank Kenyans for raising Ksh100,000 to help him settle mounting debts. The athlete revealed he had relied on personal finances and borrowed funds to compete globally.
Fundraising to offsets debts
“Someone had sponsored me to Singapore last year through debt, and it is almost fully paid. I don’t take it for granted,” he disclosed.
Kiarie’s recent track record includes two gold medals in Benin, a feat that saw him return to the country to a quiet reception from only friends and family. Despite the lack of initial fanfare, he proceeded to Egypt for the Africa Skate Games, where he bagged another two gold medals, finally prompting the official state recognition upon touching down on home soil on Thursday, May 7, 2026.
President William Ruto was among the government officials who celebrated his milestone on Sunday, May 3, 2026, following his triumph in Egypt.
Ruto described it as a proud moment for both the individual and the nation