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Marathon world record holder Kiptum dies in road accident

Marathon world record holder Kiptum dies in road accident

KENYA'S marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach were killed in a traffic accident in the Rift Valley, cutting short the career of the only man to have run the endurance classic in less than two hours and one minute. The 24-year-old set the world record, tab at the Chicago Marathon in October with a time of two hours and 35 seconds to surpass the mark of 2:01:09 run by compatriot Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin in 2022. Kiptum, who clocked three of the seven fastest marathon times in history, had been hoping to become the first man to run the…
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Transgender Kenyans seek refuge amid backlash over activist’s death

Transgender Kenyans seek refuge amid backlash over activist’s death

AYENAT MERSIE FOR the first time in years, Arya Rams falls asleep and wakes up each day without a dense knot of fear in her chest. She lives in a room in a safe house deep in Kenya's Rift Valley, supported by the Dutch non-governmental organisation Trans Rescue. Being transgender in Kenya can be dangerous. In 2021, her friend was stoned to death by a mob on a beach near the city of Malindi, she said. A few months later, Arya said she was chased by people wielding machetes. Arya, 27, said the protections of the safe house have been…
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How politics has subverted conservation efforts to protect Kenya’s Mau Forest

How politics has subverted conservation efforts to protect Kenya’s Mau Forest

THE Mau Forest Complex is the largest montane tropical forest in East Africa. This is an ecosystem with rich biodiversity and is characterised by high rainfall. Composed of 22 forest sectors, the Mau is located in Kenya’s Rift Valley, the heart of the country’s fertile and rain-fed highlands. The forest plays a pivotal role in feeding a large part of the country’s water network. The Mau Forest’s 380,000 hectares have witnessed a long and tormented history of human habitation. It’s a territory hotly contested. Authors STEFANIA ALBERTAZZI, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Milan FRANCESCA DI MATTEO, Researcher, French Institute for Research…
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