Eldoret Town has removed several newly unveiled statues after a wave of public outcry over their poor craftsmanship and inaccurate representations sparked widespread criticism.
The statues, which were part of a city beautification project ahead of Eldoret’s official conferment as Kenya’s fifth city, faced backlash from residents and social media users alike.
In preparation for the conferment ceremony, Uasin Gishu County had undertaken a city beautification spree, including planting trees along roads and erecting statues at major points in the city.
On Wednesday afternoon, statues depicting athletes, a milk fountain, and representations of wheat and maize were installed across various locations.
However, the statues quickly became the subject of ridicule due to their poor craftsmanship.
Notably, a statue of an athlete at Fims Junction failed to resemble any of Eldoret’s renowned athletes, and a maize statue at the Telecom roundabout was criticized for its discolored appearance.
The controversy led to a hasty decision to remove the offending statues and replace them with more fitting displays.
It is all systems go for the official conferment of Eldoret as a city, with President William Ruto and other government dignitaries, local leaders, and athletes scheduled to attend the event at Eldoret Sports Club grounds.
The President will also host a grand reception and breakfast for Olympic champions at Eldoret State Lodge on Thursday morning.
Following this, he will lead the athletes and dignitaries in a grand entry to the Sports Club for the inauguration of Eldoret City.
