NAIROBI, Kenya, November 6 – Legendary athlete Tegla Loroupe was on Friday awarded a honorary Doctorate degree for her peace building efforts in West Pokot district.
Loroupe received her Doctorate of Science on Peace and Conflict from President Mwai Kibaki during the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology graduation ceremony in Kakamega.
The honour is the latest in a long roll of accolades for Loroupe in her cause to sustain peace in areas ravaged by cattle rustling and tribal skirmishes.
The former New York Marathon champion has spearheaded reconciliation activities in her strife torn home district and surrounding areas through the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation.
It brings together warriors from different nomadic communities from Kenya, Uganda and Southern Sudan for a peace marathon where they run alongside government officials and other dignitaries from all three countries.
Loroupe is also a United Nations Ambassador for Sport has also established the Tegla Loroupe Peace Academy and an orphanage for children from the Kapenguria region.
In 2007, she was named the Oxfam Ambassador for Sport and Peace to Darfur and was awarded the ‘Community Hero’ award at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) the same year.
