Wilfred Bungei (centre) addresses the press earlier this year in Eldoret. Photo/File
ELDORET, Kenya, Jan 21 – Former Olympic 800m champion Wilfred Bungei will introduce a bill in parliament that will shield Kenyan athletes from double taxation if he is elected to Parliament in the coming national elections.
Retired Bungei, 36 who captained Kenya is two world championships and 2008 Olympic games in Beijing China where he won his only Olympic gold said he will be banking on his athletics leadership skills should he make it to the August House in the coming election where he will be vying for Emgwen Constituency Parliamentary seat.
The former Olympic champion who battled drug abuse after his retirement immediately after Beijing launched his political career late last years to join the growing number of Kenyan athletes moving to the murky world of politics
Former World marathon record holder, Wilson Kipsang is also salivating for a political post and he may become the second
active politician after Wesley Korir to get to Kenyan Parliament should he succeed in the coming polls.
“We cannot win the war of (double) taxation on the street but with legislation,” Bungei, now an entrepreneur and motivational speaker told Capital Sport from Eldoret after giving a talk during anti-doping seminar organised by Sports Journalist Association of Kenya (SJAK)
“I will bring legislation in parliament to stop double taxation,” added the man who overcame alcaholism that almost ruined his life.
If elected, Bungei says, he also plans to bring another bill on the floor of the House to set a side funds for retired athletes.
“I have been in position of leadership before having captained Team Kenya three times and I believe I have enough leadership experience,”
“Some of our retired Athletes live miserable lives. I beliebve the government should set a side some cash for such people bit this, just like taxation need legislation snd i plan to do that if elected.”
The father of two accused some of the sportsmen’s and women who moved to Politics before him of “let sports down’ for not fighting for the rights of athletes.
“The leadership that have been there have not done much to our athletes and I feel completely let down.”
Before hanging his spikes, Bungei was ranked top in the world over 800m in 2002 and 2003 and with a 1:42.34 persinal time , he still stand seventh fastest runner in thr history of the event.
Other former sports persons to have successfully transit ed into politics included former national volleyball captain Dan Wanyama who is the current MP of Webuye West and Kotir of Cherenganyi constituency.
