NAIROBI, Kenya, April 27- Retired former world marathon record holder, Paul Tergat will guide the four Kenyans and an Ethiopian who will represent East and Horn of Africa region in the London Olympic Torch Relay.
Asunta Wagura, Cecilia Mwangi, Atul Shah, Evans Wadogo and Mansur Abubekar from Ethiopia have been confirmed by sponsors Samsung Electronics East Africa as the regional Olympic Torch bearers at the forthcoming global event.
Tergat, who won two Olympic silver medals in 10,000m at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 editions, will lead the five on the 43rd day of the relay event that is being marked globally as the torch passes through the English city of Birmingham.
“Our nominees are deliberately non sports persons as our focus was to celebrate routinely unsung heroes who deserve gold medals for their outstanding contribution to social and economic development,” the firm’s managing director said in a communiqué released on Friday.
Currently serving as the Executive Director of the Kenya Network of Women With Aids (KENWA), Wagura is a leading light and inspirational personality who has selflessly worked to reduce stigma and provide a support platform for thousands of women and orphans.
Former Miss World Kenya Mwangi has been nominated as one of the Torchbearers in recognition of her anti jigger campaign while supermarket chain Nakumatt Holdings managing director Shah has been hailed as one of the Financial Times of London as one of the top 50 emerging business leaders.
Wandogo, a 2010 CNN Heroes Award nominee, is renowned as the man who invented a way for rural Kenyans to replace smoky kerosene and firelight with solar lanterns.
Garad PLC Boss Mansur Abubekar also made it to the Olympic Torch Bearers list in recognition of his entrepreneurial capacity as a domestic sports promoter, electronics assembler in Ethiopia and a major formal employer.
The torch relay features 8,000 small cut-out circles, paying tribute to the 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers taking part in the Olympic Torch Relay.
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