Formerly A Maid, This Kenyan Lady Has Been Fighting A Bureaucratic War To Stay In Israel But Now The Jewish State Is In Desperate Need Of Her (Photos)

Israeli government has been frustrating her but tables have since turned and now they desperately need the 27 year old Kenyan lady!

Many Kenyan athletes have been lured to change nationalities by rich Arab states who want them to run for their countries at global stage. Lonah Chemtai is desperate to swap her Kenyan identity for love!

Lonah Chemtai went to Israel 8 years ago and has since fallen in love with the tiny Middle Eastern nation thanks to Dan Salpeter who stole her heart.

The Kenyan lady first flew to Israel as a maid to Kenyan Ambassador to Israel. Her passion for running saw her meet Dan Salpeter and their meeting was the turning point of her life.

She returned to Kenya after her stint working for the Kenyan ambassador ended. Lonah was in love with Dan who had become her coach.

The two got married in Kenya before returning to live in Israel. Lonah has been battling the Israeli government to grant her citizenship.

Even after siring a one year old child with Dan, Israeli authorities were still reluctant to issue her with citizenship.

Lonah’s relief however came this year when she won Tel Aviv Marathon in February breaking the qualification time for the Olympics in the process.

Israeli government discovered no female Israeli marathon runners was fast enough to meet the Olympic standard and granting Lonah citizenship means the Kenyan athlete could represent the Jewish state in 2016 Rio Olympic which is just 17 months away.

Israeli media highlighted the case of Lonah and the country’s Interior Minister Aryeh Deri promised to hasten the process of granting Lonah Israeli citizenship.

See photos of Lonah and her family in the gallery below:

Credit: The Times Of Israel

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