Deputy President William Ruto will not attend the burial of former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale's late wife Adelaide slated for Saturday.
On the said date, the DP will be in Vienna, Austria, to support and cheer Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge who will be participating in the historical INEOS 1.59 challenge.
Addressing mourners during the requiem mass of Adelaide Khalwale on Thursday, Ruto said he will miss the burial of the wife of his close friend and passed his apologies.
He said he will be in Austria on official duty to represent the country, following an agreement with his boss President Uhuru Kenyatta
“I would have wished, a lot, to be here on Saturday. However, accept my apologies as I will not be able to come because, as you know, Kenya is a sports nation…and because of that, we have one of us who will be going to make history by becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours,” Ruto said speaking at Malinya grounds, Ikolomani in Kakamega County.
“Kenyans have said that their government must be represented when that history is made. For that reason, President Uhuru Kenyatta and I have agreed that I will go to ensure the flag of Kenya is flown high," he added.
Adelaide, 55, succumbed to pulmonary hypertension on Saturday last week.