Nothing could dampen the golden homecoming

Elated. Mr Samson Munerya Kwalya, Joshua Cheptegei’s father.

What you need to know:

  • Tradition. Each of the athletes was given the traditional plant sash, a preserve for very important guests in Sebei land tradition.

ENTEBBE.

The excitement was palpable. They had arrived in droves from far and wide and their numbers kept swelling with every passing minute.
Brandishing placards, waving tree branches and sporting a host of regalia, they surged forward; vuvuzelas blaring, but with all eyes fixed to the VIP arrival lounge of Entebbe International Airport.
Not even the rain-laden clouds over Entebbe could dampen their excitement. But at 1pm, the heavens opened. And unknown to many, including journalists, the rain had literally poured cold water on what should have been a momentous homecoming.
However, at exactly 1:20pm, Ms Juliet Chepoyeyin, one of the organisers of the welcome event, came to break the sad news to journalists and the Sabiny community.
“We are wasting time here [VIP area], the venue has changed and the athletes will be received at the VVIP section at Old Airport,” she quipped as she hurried away, decked with colourful beads and a white T-shirt branded with pictures of the medallists.
The fans quickly hit the now wet tarmac in buses to the Old Airport, yet others milled about, just in case the information was inaccurate as others reached for the restaurant for the high noon meal.
Then all of a sudden, the team that had left Kampala as a unit disintegrated.
The organisers quickly herded 12 journalists into the bus to cover the arrival of the athletes who had somehow bypassed the fans and headed straight to the Old Airport where First Lady, also minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, was set to receive them.
But just outside the UN base, the Special Forces Command waved down the bus carrying the excited home fans from Sebei. The orders were clear from higher authorities that only a handful of fans access the VVIP section.
But the handful picked, including double gold medal champion Joshua Cheptegei’s parents and wife, and a section of politicians from Sebei, would take none of the orders.
“I cannot go to receive my son without the delegation that escorted me from Kapchorwa. We have no ill intentions, we just want to receive our son and celebrate together,” Mr Samson Munerya Kwalya, Cheptegei’s father, pleaded.
Kween District chairperson Paul Machinjach too weighed in: “I just want to ask one question; why aren’t we being allowed to receive our children as we always do? We are less than 200 and it is pointless to sieve us.”
A sports officer Alfred Tunde said the whole point of travelling from Kapchorwa had been rendered useless, for in the past events, they have welcomed their returning stars from the lounge.
Mr George Toskin, the Kapchorwa Town Council chairperson, and an elder from Kween, Francis Wonge, wondered why even after following instructions given to them, they were still locked out.
As the arguments raged on, Cheptegei, who had flown in from South Africa, separate from the rest of the team, was heading to the VVIP section. The crowd had now grown, and among them were notables as Col Juma Seiko, Kween MP Lawrence Mangusho, Tingey MP Kenneth Soyekwo, and Cheptegei’s close family members.
On the stroke of 4pm, the long wait was over. Carol Kamari Cheptegei, dressed to the nines, tittupped to the red carpet to receive her hubby. Then, tradition took centre stage; each of the athletes was given the traditional plant sash (sinendet) – a preserve for very important guests. Next was fermented milk (mursik/kwerionik), served to members of a family who have been away for long.
Leaders from Sebei had on the previous night burnt the midnight candle to ensure the traditional plant and milk (mursik/kwerionik) had arrived in town in time for the event.
And the traditional dance and folk song warmed up what had been a cold and frustrating afternoon.
Col Seiko carried Cheptegei shoulder high as the crowd cheered on. And the cheers did not die.