Kelvin Kiptum: President William Ruto orders house for Kenyan athlete’s family

Kenya’s President William Ruto has sent engineers to the home of the late marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, with instructions to build a three-bedroom house.

Kiptum had planned to build a home for his family before he was killed in a road accident last Sunday.

The president’s office has denied local media reports that the house has to be ready by Kiptum’s funeral next week.

Excavations have already started, the family spokesman said.

The house is being built on a four-acre farm which Kiptum had bought about 16km (10 miles) from the family home in the Rift Valley, where he was planning to construct his home later this year.

“There are three engineers here who are being supervised by senior government officials,” family spokesperson Philip Kiplagat told the BBC.

It is hoped that the house will be ready by the end of the 40-day mourning period.

Kiptum’s funeral is due to take place on 24 February.

Police said Kiptum, a 24-year-old father of two, was killed after the car he was driving veered into a ditch.

His Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana also died in the accident while a woman passenger was injured.

Kiptum’s father has called for an investigation, saying that four unidentified men had visited his son days before his accident.

The suspects are currently in police custody for questioning after being arrested, according to local media.

Kiptum’s death, just four months after he broke the marathon world record, shocked Kenya and the world of athletics.

He had been planning to attempt to become the first person to run a marathon in under two hours at the Rotterdam marathon in April.