Kiprop Kiprotich

I was in your rumble two moons ago

2020-05-06T11:22:00.005+03:00

"Arawa, I feel you. I was in your rumble two moons ago. We were on a trip; we were heading to Lake Nakuru. All was well until we arrived in Lanet. Then I heard a roar. It roared again. My friend is now worried: ‘Ama ni ile omena ya jana?’ his concern rose. I tried to be the man who once camped in my grandpa, but he couldn't halt the rumble. I'm now sweating. We're entering Nakuru town and there's a jam. I'm now feeling like flying through the window. Then the jam breaks and we stop somewhere to buy trip water. I run to the driver and explain myself. He knows the town; so he drives to a place, parks and directs me. I drop and rush. I find myself inside a church compound, but there's no life. I spot the loo, but it's locked. My friend finds me stranded. I was almost dropping it there when the caretaker arrived. ‘Sasa, niokoe. Tumbo mbaya!’ I begged him. He opens and I dive for 20 minutes. With me is a 74cm tissue which I broke with Einstein's Accuracy just in case I never dove out; that's when and where I discovered E=MC^2. I dove into two more short sessions, as we toured the Lake. Don't munch and travel."

I see where you want to fly me

2020-05-05T18:02:00.003+03:00

"Arawa. I heard your 'hod woda' accent story. How do I react? I want to laugh and sad at the same time. I also see where you want to fly me. With that smile, I see you want to fly me to my village to remind the world again how we got the name (Iten) of our county city. This is how our Keiyo Accent gave us the name: A mzungu was counting hills inside the escarpment and marking them. Then he arrived at hill number ten and marked it HILL TEN. But my people heard ITEN."

I come with your ancestors to say sorry

2020-05-04T11:45:00.001+03:00

"Arawa. I heard your digital toilet story. I come with your ancestors to say sorry and appease that modern spirit. Now you want me to remind the world again about my tap story. The setting is a loo in Junction Mall. The plot is offloading. I can now narrate the climax. So I finish offloading and do what clean souls do. I go to the sink, but no water is coming. I feel like asking for help from the cleaning guy outside, but I don't want to undress my degree. So I stand there praying to my gods for a quick miracle. My hand moves closer to the tap from below and boom; Eureka. I wash and exit like me."

My first thought after this Revelation was Death

2018-11-05T21:45:00.001+03:00

Rose Nasimiyu | Image Credit: JKL Show

"I was nine when I discovered I had it. I felt my world was crashing. I felt my dream was ending. I felt my life was over. I could not take it anymore. But I believed I’d live to see my dreams come true. I first felt this big painful swelling under my arm. Then I told my mum who quickly suggested we see a doctor. We saw many doctors. They did many tests, but all were negative. Finally, Biopsy revealed it. I was playing when I saw my mum wailing. I ran to her. I asked her why and she said I had cancer. I collapsed and she cried. The Biopsy revealed Hodgins Lymphoma. And my first thought after this revelation was death. I told God cancer is not for me; not at this age, not this early. I now had the faith and the courage to fight it. My parents cheered, my hair dropped and I missed school. I even composed a song and hoped it’d help my parents slash the bill ahead. We fought it. We won it. Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death."

I'm the lost King of Steeplechase

2018-10-15T12:34:00.001+03:00

Raymond Yator in his days | Image Credit: hajo sport foto

Raymond Yator at his home | Image credit: Standard Group Kenya

"My name is Raymond Yator.

I’m the lost king of steeplechase and the only steeple chaser in athletics history who never stepped on the water pool.

BEFORE I GOT LOST ...

I broke World Records.

I broke the World Junior Record at the Herculis Golden League Meeting in Monte Carlo, Monaco, in 2000.

I ran with Olympic and World Champions.

I ran with Stephen Cherono (Saif Saeed Shaheen), Bernard Barmasai, Reuben Kosgei, Wilson Boit and Wilson Kipketer.

I was educated in the school of Steeplechase Saints.

I was educated at the school of Moses Kiptanui … Saint Peters Marakwet Boys High School in the County of Champions.

I entered international quotes.

During my reign on an IAAF Junior Meet in 2004, one commentator said, 'The leader of the junior season in the steeplechase is obviously a Kenyan'. I was the Kenyan.

I inspired my siblings.

My late younger brother Albert Yator won silver at World Junior Championships in Moncton Canada in 2010. He died in 2011 after a short illness.

Before I got lost…I rocked the world of steeplechase.

THEN I GOT LOST ...

After the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm in 2004. And I’ve never ran again since then because of alcohol abuse.

After my winnings of 2004, I hosted my friends, relatives and neighbours at my rural home in County of Champions to celebrate my victory. I had won $10,000. So the party served every local food and drink. Everyone praised me. And everyone avoided me after I went broke.

After the party I graduated from a teetotaler to a fulltime alcoholic. I began missing my training sessions and started visiting all local brewing dens where my generosity made everyone in my beer group wrap my name in heroic songs. Now they wrap my name in villain songs.

When my beer group discovered my cash pot is empty, they began avoiding me. So I began selling my assets to refill the pot. I sold my five acre farm, two tractors and all my vehicles to service my addiction and keep them happy. Then the pot ran dry forever and my legs refused to run.

Today I look back to my days of glory and weep.

Today I’ve learnt that the two destroyers of an athlete life are Alcohol and Peer Pressure.

Today I encourage every athlete to invest their winnings and choose their friends wisely.

Today I appeal to any sponsor who still believes in me to train me because I’m ready to dare again. My spirit can no longer watch Ethiopians stealing our racing pride. I want to return to tame them again. This time I want to specialize in half marathon.

Thank you for listening to me and believing in me again.

God bless you. God bless your family. God bless Kenya."

I'm the most famous female cheetah in Masai Mara

2018-10-12T15:46:00.003+03:00

Malaika with her kids at Masai Mara | Image credit: Elena Chelysheva

"My name is Malaika and I’m 10 years old. I’m an extrovert, a fast hunter, and a caring mother. I’m also the most famous female cheetah in Masai Mara. My lovely mum, Serena, died when I was only 5. So I know the pain of losing a mother when you’re not ready to roam alone. And that’s why some call me Super Mama because I’m one of the rare cheetahs who’ve successfully raised her kids to adulthood. So far I’ve raised 8 cubs. Three are no longer with me; one died and two got lost. With me now are my four sons Bawa, Malik, Dogo and Kigumba. And my only daughter, Malkia. They are all grownups but they are not ready to leave their mother. So we still roam together."

I was the last male northern white Rhino

2018-10-12T12:13:00.003+03:00

Mzee Sudan | Image credit: Ol Pejeta Conservancy

"My name is Sudan, I’m 45 years old, and I’m no more. I was the last male northern white rhino. Some say I was the last man standing. Even some said I was the most eligible bachelor. I was born in Sudan, raised at Dvůr Králové Zoo in Czech Republic, and aged at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. When I was only two, I was moved to Czech to escape extinction. I was not alone. We were six northern white rhinos. We were two boys and four girls. That was 1975. Five years later, Suni was born. And became the youngest male northern white rhino. Eight years later, I was blessed with my first born and daughter Nabire. Fourteen years later, I was blessed with my second daughter, Najin. In 2000, Fatu my grand-daughter became the youngest female northern white rhino. In 2009; Suni, Najin, Fatu and I moved to Kenya. We left Nabire. We moved to try to expand our dying family but I feel we were not meant to exist again. Four years ago, we lost Suni. Two years ago, we lost Nabire and Nola. This year, you lost me. Extinction is real."

I'm the lioness who adopted a baby Oryx

2018-10-12T10:43:00.001+03:00

Kamunyak and Baby Beisa

"My name is Kamunyak. The Danes call me Larsens. I’m the lioness who adopted a baby Oryx. You heard the story. Some thought I was mad. Some wrote, 'This is the reincarnation of the biblical lion and the lamb.' Some even had the courage to call me The Vegan Lioness. I’ll forgive you if you believed them. 16 years ago at Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya, I was lonely. It was early January. Someday as I roamed to hunt, I saw Beisa’s mum trying to escape a preying leopard. Beisa was just a few hours old, she was weak and she struggled to walk. She was an easy prey and I was hungry but maternal instincts overwhelmed me. So I warned the leopard, chased Mama Beisa and adopted Baby Beisa. I was neither pregnant nor lactating so I sometimes let her mum breastfeed her. This adoption meant no more hunting to protect her even when her mum stopped by to breastfeed. After two weeks without water and food, we finally arrived at a river. I never knew behind the bushes my brother was hungry and he’d been tracking us. He killed Beisa. I was too weak to fight him. I roared 10 ten times in anger and disappeared. I was last seen in December 2002 after five more similar adoptions. Love everyone. Harm no one."

I'm the dog who saved baby Angel

2018-10-12T08:54:00.001+03:00

Mkombozi at KSPCA Centre in Karen Kenya | Image credit: gettyimages

"My name is Mkombozi. The English call me Saviour. I’m the dog who saved baby Angel 13 years ago. It was Friday. I was in Ngong Forest trying to find food for my puppies when I spotted this heavy plastic bag. I rarely stumbled on wrapped meals. So I grabbed it, dragged it across busy Ngong Road and placed it among my puppies. No suspicious being could make me drop it. Not even my neighbour Bobi the Bully. All this time I’d not cared to unwrap it because I was breastfeeding. Then my meal cried. Two sons of my boss who were playing heard the cry and quickly alerted their mum. My boss is a kind woman. She’d been kind to me for five years. God bless her wherever she is. She came, unwrapped the bag, and inside was a baby girl. We were shocked. My boss dropped a tear, I groaned and her sons fled. She cleaned her, dressed her and gave her some warm milk. Then she called the police who took her to KNH. I’m told baby Angel was treated, discharged and adopted six months later by a wealthy Kenyan family. You all know where this fame took me. I lived in Dago Slums. I now live at KSPCA Centre in Karen. You never know where your little kindness will take you."