Mathare Utd chair Munro, former world champion Masai get Jamhuri Day honours

Former 10,000m world champion Linet Masai, Special Olympic Games champion Purity Kandie, Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) former chairman Bob Munro and Special Olympic handball and floorball player were conferred with various awards for their contributions in sports.

Masai, a former 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medallist, was awarded Head of State Commendation (HSC) in the Military Division for her outstanding contribution in athletics.

In 2023, the 35-year-old athlete placed fourth at the Enschede Marathon in the Netherlands and won  the Karnten Lauft Half Marathon in Austria the same year.

Also joining the list was Kandie, who was decorated with the HSC award for her outstanding achievements in the Special Olympic Games where she won gold and silver in the 50m sprint dash on two editions.

Victor Lijembe was also awarded the Head of State Commendation for his unwavering dedication to the Special Olympic movement.

The honours extended to the trailblazing Bob Munro, founder and chairman of MYSA, who was recognized with the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) Second Class for his exceptional contribution to Kenyan football.

Munro’s visionary leadership has revolutionized sports for development, uplifting countless lives in underserved communities.

Through MYSA, he has championed youth empowerment and transformed sports into a beacon of hope for the less fortunate and he is also the founder of FKF Premier League side Mathare United in 1994.