Gov’t Honours Governor Sakaja’s Mother For A Great Athletic Fete
Emily Ayoti Kubasu Sakaja, Johnson’s mother, received the National Heroes Award on Friday, December 6.
The Nairobi Governor and his siblings accepted the honor on behalf of their mother, who earned the accolade posthumously.
Sakaja announced the development on his X platform, thanking President William Ruto, Culture, Arts, and Heritage Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir, and the National Heroes Council for honouring his late mother, a sporting pioneer in Kenya.
“Received the National Heroes Award posthumously together with my siblings, honouring the late Emily Ayoti Kubasu Sakaja,” he stated.
“A Kenyan athletic great and our mom. Thank you, William Ruto, PS Ummi Bashir, and the National Heroes Council, for acknowledging our champion.”
Received the National Heroes Award posthumously together with my siblings, honouring the Late Emily Ayoti Kubasu Sakaja. A Kenyan athletic great and our Mum. Thank you H.E @WilliamsRuto, PS @UmmiMBashir and the National Heroes Council for acknowledging our Champion. pic.twitter.com/o9z7Cv7K3K
— Sakaja Arthur Johnson (@SakajaJohnson) December 6, 2024
Although little is known about Emily Kubasu, she won gold in the 100 meters at the East and Central African Championships in 1971, which is regarded as her most notable victory.
Emily pioneered short-distance running, laying the groundwork for sprinters such as Ferdinand Omanyala, Mercy Chebet, and Collins Omae.
Before becoming obsolete in 1990, the annual international athletics championships were held for 32 years and featured numerous regional countries.
Emily went on to become a jail officer after her sporting career, rising through the ranks until her death in 1994, when Sakaja was nine.
Sakaja has acknowledged his mother for helping to shape his character and the person he is today.
Notably, while Sakaja was a Nairobi senator, he mentioned his mother when his position in the Jubilee party was threatened.
In August 2020, then-Jubilee Party Vice Chairman David Murathe threatened to remove leaders, including Sakaja, who disputed the party’s position on the revenue allocation formula.
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In response, Sakaja declared that he was not afraid of threats or intimidation, noting the champion spirit that runs in his family.
“Now that I have come here and I have voted, those who want to arrest me, please go ahead,” he stated in the Senate on August 5, 2020.
“I am not one to be intimidated; I am the son of Emily Ayoti Kubasu, a champion, and I am ready for whatever consequence it is for the price of this country.”
The National Heroes Council is the state company in charge of recognizing national heroes and upholding the key principles of patriotism, integrity, innovation, diversity, and professionalism.
Gov’t Honours Governor Sakaja’s Mother For A Great Athletic Fete
