President Ruto announces increased daily allowances for athletes

President William Ruto has announced sweeping reforms to athletes’ allowances and reward structures, in a move aimed at strengthening Kenya’s global sporting dominance and uplifting the welfare of sportsmen and women.

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The Head of State announced this during a special reception held at State House, Nairobi, in honour of world marathon record holder Sabastian Sawe, whose historic feat has once again placed Kenya at the pinnacle of global athletics.

Sabastian Sawe bags a luxury retreat after historic sub two-hour marathon

In a detailed communication shared with the public, President Ruto outlined a raft of changes, with the most notable being a significant increment in daily allowances for athletes and officials representing the country in international competitions.

Under the new structure, athletes’ daily allowances have been increased from $60 (approximately Ksh7,750.80) to $200 (approximately Ksh25,836.00), marking a substantial rise of about Ksh18,086.

Officials have also seen their allowances reviewed upwards, from $80 (approximately Ksh10,334.40) to $300 (approximately Ksh38,754.00), a move expected to boost morale and improve performance standards across national teams.

Beyond allowances, the government has also revised the reward scheme for medalists in major global competitions.

Gold medal winners in athletics will now receive Ksh3 million, while silver and bronze medalists will take home Ksh2 million and Ksh1 million respectively.

Similarly, athletes competing at the Commonwealth Games will benefit from enhanced incentives, with gold medalists set to earn Ksh2.5 million, silver medalists Ksh1.5 million, and bronze medalists Ksh1 million.

Sabastian Sawe rewarded Ksh8 million, car by President Ruto in heroic welcome at State House

President Ruto emphasised that the revised framework is designed not only to reward excellence but also to nurture and sustain talent, noting that improved financial support is key to enabling athletes to focus on training and delivering world-class performances.

“These measures are intended to support sports development in our country and to ensure that our athletes are adequately rewarded as they continue to fly the Kenyan flag high on the global stage,” the President stated.

The announcement came against the backdrop of celebrations for Sabastian Sawe’s extraordinary triumph at the 2026 London Marathon held on Sunday, 26 April.

Sawe etched his name into history books by becoming the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon in an official competitive race, clocking a groundbreaking world record time of 1:59:30.

In recognition of this landmark achievement, President Ruto awarded Sawe a total of Ksh8 million. The package includes Ksh5 million for breaking the world marathon record and an additional Ksh3 million for securing gold in the race.

Further, to the government's commitment to celebrating excellence, Sawe was also presented with a brand-new vehicle of his choice, complete with a customised number plate bearing his historic record time, a symbolic tribute to a performance that has redefined the limits of human endurance.