Emily Ayoti Kubasu Sakaja was a celebrated Kenyan sprinter in the 1960s and 70s, known for her dominance in short-distance track events. She proudly represented Kenya in various competitions, securing record-breaking victories that cemented her legacy in athletics.
She was also the mother of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja. Her success on the track brought pride to the nation and inspired future generations, proving that Kenya could excel beyond long-distance running.
Ayoti is regarded as one of Kenya’s fastest sprinters, with only a few athletes matching her achievements in short-distance events. Her sprinting career flourished in the 1970s, during which she dominated regional competitions.
She won gold in the 100m race at the 1971 East and Central African Championships. That same year, she also earned the title of East African champion in the 200m race.
Her exceptional speed and consistency secured her a place in Team Kenya for the 1975 Commonwealth Games, where she competed against some of the world’s top sprinters. While Kenya was widely known for its dominance in long-distance running, Ayoti demonstrated that the nation could also shine in sprinting.
Outside her athletic career, Emily served as a senior officer in the Kenya Prisons Service at Lang’ata Women’s Prison. A former student of Kenya High School, she later pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Design from the University of Nairobi in 1983.
In December 2024, President William Ruto posthumously awarded Emily the National Heroes Award in recognition of her remarkable contributions to Kenyan athletics. Her children, including Governor Sakaja, accepted the honor on her behalf, expressing their gratitude for the recognition of their mother’s enduring legacy.
In a statement on X, Sakaja expressed his gratitude for the recognition of their mother, whom he described as a true champion.
“Received the National Heroes Award posthumously together with my siblings, honouring the late Emily Ayoti Kubasu Sakaja. A Kenyan athletic great and our Mum. Thank you, President William Ruto, PS Ummi Bashir and the National Heroes Council for acknowledging our champion,” Sakaja wrote.
In 2021, Sakaja spoke on Churchill Show about his mother and the void she left after her passing in 1994 when he was just nine years old.
“My mum used to work in government, she died in 1994. I was nine years old, but we continued staying in government quarters. But in 1997, we had to move,” he said.
Sakaja, reflecting on how remarkable his mother was, acknowledged her significant contributions to the country.
“Oh, my mum. My mum was a champion. She died young, she was 41. At that time, she was one of the senior ladies in the prison service at Langata Women’s, ” Sakaja said.
