Ababu Namwamba pledges generous donation at coach Hakizimana's emotional send-off

Cabinet secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Hon. Ababu Namwamba on Wednesday 21 February, while honoring the life of departed coach Gervais Hakizimana in Kicukiro District, Masaka Sector, Kigali Rwanda, also announced that the Government of Kenya would support his family with a donation worth Ksh 5 Million (40 M Rwandan Franc).

Ababu was among a host of mourners - including family and Government officials - who were congregated at St. Pierre et Paul Masaka, the venue for Hakizimana’s funeral service.

At 36 years old, Gervais Hakizimana, prior to his tragic passing on February 11, 2024, served as the esteemed head coach for world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum.

A distinguished former long-distance runner in his own right, Hakizimana proudly represented Rwanda. His legacy endures through his record-setting performance in the 3000 m steeplechase, where he secured the Rwandan national record with a remarkable time of 8:39.05, achieved back in May 2011.

The father of one - Lyana - and husband to Joan - met his death after being involved in a car crash along the Kaptagat to Eldoret road, where he was among the passengers in a car whose occupants included the aforementioned Kiptum and a woman - the only survivor.

Tragic news: World Marathon record holder Kiptum, 24, dies in traffic accident

It is reported that the car they were in drove in the ditch for about 60 meters before hitting a big tree, with Hakizimana’s autopsy report indicating that he had died of “head and skull fracture, and intracranial bleeding consistent with that from a motor vehicle accident.”

In the service that later culminated into Hakizimana’s burial at Rusororo Public Cemetery, Ababu described the Rwandese coach and Kiptum as “a collabo made in heaven” saying: “I had a personal relationship with Gervais and met him two days after breaking the marathon world record in Chicago where we held a special ceremony. He had become the youngest coach to break a World Record, while Kiptum was the youngest athlete to run under 2:01.

“Observing the two, their relationship was just not that of a coach and an athlete, but that of brothers in life as those in death. They exited the stage just when the dance was starting.”

Announcing the plan to make the donation - one brought to effect by the Government of Kenya and President William Ruto - Ababu added: “I wish to stand with the entire family and extend my support. Hakizimana was a child of East Africa and the entire continent. Losing him and Kiptum is a big time loss, given the excitement that they had ahead of potentially running under two hours in the Rotterdam Marathon in April.”

Also present was Golazo - a sports marketing agency representing Kiptum - CEO Bob Verbeeck, who described Hakizimana as “a gentle person who put others infront of him, and was always in the shadow like a true coach does.”

His promise for the family was that Hakizimana’s daughter, who came up in most discussions with him, would be enrolled in a catholic school, as his father envisioned.

“We today honor an exceptional man who has been stolen away from us in an instant,” Verbeeck added. “He will always be in our memory.”

His student, Kiptum, meanwhile, had his autopsy report released on Wednesday, and his burial ceremony will take place on Friday 24 February in Chepkorio Village, Elgeyo Marakwet.

Post-mortem report reveals Kiptum succumbed to severe head injuries