Kiprotich High Altitude Centre name changed unceremoniously

What the report says

A naming dispute has emerged in Kapchorwa District after reports that the Kiprotich High Altitude Training Centre was renamed the Teryet High Altitude Training Centre. The Independent Uganda reports that the facility, in Teryet Ward in Kapchorwa Municipality, had been named for Stephen Kiprotich, Uganda’s 2012 Olympic marathon gold medallist, and that the change has surprised athletes, residents and sports administrators.

According to the article, Kiprotich says he was not consulted or officially informed. Local runners and community leaders also said they were not notified beforehand, while some former and current officials argued that the district council was never asked to approve the change. They questioned whether the process was transparent and said renaming a public facility associated with a national sporting figure risks weakening the legacy attached to it.

The report also quotes Dr. Justin Yapsoyekwo, chairperson of the board of governors of the centre, who said the Ministry of Education and Sports and the National Council of Sports made the decision after concerns were raised by some athletes. She said the new name was meant to reflect the location and create a more inclusive identity for the training centre. The article adds that this explanation has not settled the controversy.

The dispute has prompted wider debate in Kapchorwa about how Uganda names public facilities and how it should honor sporting heroes. Residents and sports figures are calling for clarity, stakeholder consultation and, in some cases, a reversal of the renaming decision.