Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has faulted world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge's move to sue a local radio station over unauthorized use of his images.
Kipchoge on Friday threatened to take NRG Radio to court for using his images without his consent in a commercial advertisement.
Through his lawyer Donald Kipkorir, the athlete demanded "an unqualified apology" from the station and ordered the removal of his name and images from their social media accounts.
Murkomen noted Kipchoge, who last week became the first human to run a marathon in under two hours, was tarnishing his name by engaging in "unnecessary" legal battles with the station, which he said was just excited following the marathoner's achievement.
The Senate Majority Leader put the blame on Kipchoge's legal team for misleading him, saying he should have just called NRG Radio and demand they stop using his name and images.
"I would advice Eliud Kipchoge against unnecessary legal battles with entities like NRG Radio merely excited with his fete. It waters down the good name of Kipchoge.Concerns raised shouldn’t have been in the form of legal threats.A phone call is enough.He was terribly misled," Murkomen tweeted.
However, in a quick rejoinder, Kipkorir told off the Senator and warned him against interfering with his client.
"My Senator .... Lets have professional respect .... If my client thought you are a better lawyer than me, he would have come to you .... Let’s operate on our different lanes! Kindly, act for NGR Radio and we see the outcome," the city lawyer stated.