President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kagutta Museveni on Wednesday awarded olympic heroes with vehicles, houses and monthly stipend following their successful performance in the just concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Museveni ordered full implementation of his earlier directive to gift Olympic heroes with Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists at the continental or international level a monthly salary of Shs 5m million to those who won gold medals , shs3 million and shs1 million per month respectively.
“I made an order some years ago that anybody who wins gold at continental level, commonwealth or Olympics games should be paid shs5 million per month. Those who win silver should be paid shs3 million and shs1 million per month,’’ Museveni said
“It was not honored and I was told they are being paid quarterly. I didn’t say quarterly. I speak English very well. If it was partially carried out, your arrears will all be paid.” He added.
Cheptegei won a gold medal in Olympic athletics race and become world 5000m record holder, who triumphed in the men’s 5,000m finals.
Cheptegei also won a bronze whereas Jacob Kiplimo won bronze in the men’s 1000 metres as Uganda finished 37th overall out of 206 nations and second in Africa out of 54 countries.
President Museveni made these remarks while welcoming the country’s heroes that he hosted at a function held at the Kololo Independence grounds.
Museveni further promised to build a house for each Gold medalist and all of the medalists cash rewards and also for the parents of each Gold medalist.
He further donated three brand new vehicles to three medalists namely; Joshua Cheptegei who clinched the Gold medal in the Men’s 5,000 metres, Stella Chesang, Peruth Chemutai who won a Gold medal in the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase and Jacob Kiplimo who won Bronze in Men’s 10,000 meters.
“I want to gift each athlete who gave us a medal at the Olympics with a car and cash,” said Museveni. The new vehicles will be awarded as follows; two Mitsubishi Outlanders for the gold medalist and a Mitsubishi L200 for silver medalist,” Museveni announced.
Early this week, the Inspector General of Police, John Martins Okoth Ochola promised to fast-track the promotion of Cheptegei and Chemutai who are both police officers.
“I must say I am extremely delighted about the spectacular performance of our athletes. The medals helped to put our country high above countries like South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana and Ethiopia among others,”Ochola said.
Uganda’s athletes received a hero’s welcome after landing at the Entebbe airport on Tuesday.