GOVERNOR JONATHAN BII DISOWNS CONTROVERSIAL STATUES UNVEILED AHEAD OF ELDORET’S CITY STATUS
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii has come out to distance himself from controversial statues that were erected in Eldoret town, which many members of the public castigated.
The statutes, unveiled a day before President Ruto’s ceremony elevating Eldoret to city status, were meant to mark the event but ended up stirring outrage due to their poor workmanship.
The governor addressed the matter during a church function in Eldoret on Sunday, August 18, saying that it was not right to tie the county government with the statues. He added that they were erected by the well-wishers who had pledged to give the town a facelift in preparation for its new status as a city.
According to Bii, the benefactors had agreed to adopt various streets and roundabouts within Eldoret with the view to erecting monuments for enhancing its beauty. “The well-wishers had promised to deliver surprise statues and unveil them on the evening before the elevation to city status, but as we waited we were shocked with what was unveiled,” said Bii.
A point of contention has been the unveiling of the statues the day before the official elevation on August 15, 2024. Many residents take to social media to express dissatisfaction with the poorly crafted graven images.
The governor further described the statues as poorly done, indicating that they did not capture the figure of Faith Kipyegon, the 1500m Olympic champion.
Some of them were reportedly said to have captured features that Bii equated to “Satan.” He conveyed his shock and disappointment at the failure of what had been promised, as opposed to what was delivered.
“What was unveiled was shocking. One side looked like a human being and the other side looked like Satan himself,” Bii said. Bii stressed that design and crafting of the statues were beyond county government control and added, once more, that they are not to blame for whatever happened.
Though apologetic over the mishap, he remained firm in his stand that the county should not be held liable for substandard statues that were meant to celebrate Eldoret’s new status.
