Museveni gifts cars to Ugandan Olympic medalists [photo courtesy]
President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday afternoon awarded Uganda’s athletes with luxurious vehicles, following their remarkable performances at the just-concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Museveni also promised to build a house for each Gold medalist, as well as reward all of Uganda’s medalists with cash.
The reward comes a day after the athletes received a hero’s welcome at Entebbe International Airport, Kampala.
Uganda’s Tokyo Olympic medal winners receive heroic welcome [photo courtesy]
Joshua Cheptegei won gold in the men’s 5,000m final and silver in the men’s 10,000m. Peruth Chemutai won gold in the women’s 10,000m final, while Jacob Kiplimo took bronze in the men’s 10,000m final.
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Uganda was represented by a 25-strong team in Tokyo, but after coming out with nothing in rowing, swimming and boxing, all remaining medal hopes fell on track and field.
Uganda’s Chemutai wins gold in 3000m steeplechase [photo courtesy]
Speaking at the Kololo Ceremonial Ground in Kampala, Museveni announced a monthly stipend for every gold medal winner at Sh5m (Ksh154,000), Sh3m (Ksh 92,777) for silver and Sh1m (Ksh 30,000) for a bronze medalist.
“I want to gift each athlete who gave us a medal at the Olympics with a car and cash,” said Museveni.
“The new vehicles will be awarded as follows; two Mitsubishi Outlanders for the gold medalist and a Mitsubishi L200 for silver medalist.”
Second-placed Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei (R) and third-placed Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo celebrate after the men’s 10000m final. PHOTO/AFP
Museveni also promised to build a house for gold medalist parents as he thanked all participants.
“I want to pledge to build houses for the parents of Olympic gold medalists as I salute all athletes who participated in heats and also reached finals and those people who helped them to train,” he added.
In recent years, Museveni has given excelling sportsmen and women in Uganda gifts that range from cars, houses and cash.
He had offered luxurious cars to Stephen Kiprotich, Joshua Cheptegei, and Stella Chesang for their impressive performances.