The organisers of the Eldoret City Marathon have dismissed allegations of financial mismanagement and delayed athlete payments, describing the claims as false, misleading and defamatory.
In a statement issued on Friday, November 6, 2026, the race organisers sought to clarify the management of sponsorship funds, the disbursement of prize money and the roles played by Athletics Kenya and government agencies in financing the annual event.
The organisers insisted that all financial processes related to the marathon have been handled within the law and remain open to scrutiny. “We maintain complete transparency, legal compliance, and dedication to the welfare of athletes and vendors,” the statement said.
According to the organisers, funds provided by government sponsors for categorised athletics competitions are neither received nor managed through private accounts belonging to marathon officials. They said Athletics Kenya serves as the legally mandated custodian of such funds under public finance regulations, World Athletics rules and Athletics Kenya road running guidelines.
The organisers outlined how funding was managed in the last three editions of the marathon. They noted that during the fifth edition in 2024, the Sports Fund financed the prize purse, with Athletics Kenya paying athletes directly, while the marathon secretariat relied on private sponsors to cover operational expenses.
For the sixth edition held in 2025, the Sports Fund reportedly financed both prize money and operational costs through Athletics Kenya. However, organisers claimed some suppliers remained unpaid despite a verified list of service providers being submitted for payment.
They said the situation improved during the seventh edition in 2026, with Athletics Kenya disbursing operational funds according to instructions from race organisers, enabling suppliers linked to the latest event to be paid and helping clear most outstanding balances from the previous year.
Did Eldoret City Marathon pay 2026 winners?
The statement also addressed concerns over delayed prize money payments for the 2026 edition, which had a total prize purse of KSh 18 million.
According to the organisers, KSh 3 million provided by a corporate sponsor was released immediately after official anti-doping results were received in late June and was used to pay the men’s and women’s marathon runners-up KSh 1.5 million each.
The remaining KSh 15 million, financed by the Uasin Gishu County Government, was paid after the start of the new financial year. The organisers explained that anti-doping clearance was received close to the June 30 financial year deadline, triggering mandatory Public Finance Management Act procedures, including IFMIS rollovers and audit verifications.
“In full accordance with the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act and standard public accounting laws, statutory financial system (IFMIS) rollovers and formal audit verifications were required before government funds could be reopened and disbursed in the new financial year,” the organisers said.
They added that a small number of athletes experienced further delays after submitting incorrect banking details, but payments were processed immediately after the correct information was provided.
While acknowledging that delayed disbursements can be frustrating for athletes, the organisers maintained that the race has always honoured its obligations. “The Eldoret City Marathon has never defaulted on athlete payouts in any edition,” the statement said.
Were Eldoret City Marathon funds misappropriated?
The organisers further rejected claims that funds had been misappropriated, maintaining that the event’s financial records can be independently verified.
“Any claims of fund misappropriation by race organisers are completely false and defamatory. All payment trails, audit records, and statutory banking workflows remain open, transparent, and fully verifiable,” the statement added.
Beyond athletics, the organisers said the marathon continues to support environmental conservation and local economic development, citing the establishment of the Eldoret Arboretum and afforestation initiatives across the region.
The statement comes amid renewed debate over the management of the marathon following its exclusion from the 2026/2027 AK calendar. There have also been concerns raised by stakeholders over unpaid suppliers and delays in the release of prize money to athletes.
