President Museveni has commended Olympic gold medalist Joshua Cheptegei for putting his athletic earnings to good use through productive investment.
The President, who toured Cheptegei’s upcoming hotel project in Kapchorwa during his rallies in the Sebei region, expressed delight at the athlete’s initiative, describing it as an excellent example of responsible wealth creation and job generation.
“I congratulate and thank Joshua Cheptegei for not squandering his earnings from his talent and hard work. He is putting up a hotel in Kapchorwa, which I was glad to tour between rallies in the Sebei region,” Museveni said.
Museveni added that Cheptegei’s investment reflects the very principles he has been advocating for using land productively and investing in ventures that create employment and income.
“This is a good example of how to use land productively while creating jobs and income, away from the highlands that are prone to landslides,” Museveni emphasized. “It is exactly what I was talking about earlier, using the lowlands for investment and wealth creation.”
Museveni praised the world champion for setting a precedent for other sportsmen and Ugandans to emulate, urging the youth to focus on long-term development projects that contribute to both personal prosperity and national growth.
The 29 year old long distance runner, Cheptegei holds world records for the 5000m and 10,000m, as well as the world’s best time over the 15km distance.
He is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5000m and the reigning three-time World champion in the 10,000m.
Additionally, Cheptegei won gold in both the 5000m and 10,000m at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Cheptegei is an officer in the Uganda Police Force, and holds the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
He was promoted to this rank in 2020 in recognition of his significant athletic achievements, including breaking world records and winning Olympic medals.
