In Eldoret, Kenya, family members and anti-femicide advocates received the remains of Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei on Friday. The athlete tragically passed away after being set on fire by her partner, sparking outrage and calls for an end to gender-based violence. Cheptegei’s family, along with activists chanting anti-femicide slogans, gathered at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital’s morgue to pay their respects.
The incident marks the fourth female athlete in Kenya to have lost her life at the hands of a partner in recent years, highlighting the pervasive issue of gender-based violence in the country. Viola Cheptoo, the founder of Tirop Angels, expressed the urgent need for stakeholders to take action to prevent further tragedies like Cheptegei’s death and those of other athletes like Agnes Tirop, who was killed in 2021.
Emotions ran high as athletes and family members viewed Cheptegei’s body, which had suffered severe burns covering 80% of her body. The athlete’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, also sustained significant burns and later died as a result of the incident. Reports indicate that the tragic event stemmed from a dispute over land that Cheptegei had purchased in Kenya.
Having recently competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics, where she finished in 44th place, Cheptegei’s untimely death has shaken the sports community. Her father, Joseph, shared that the family plans to hold a night vigil and burial in Bukwo, eastern Uganda, following a brief stop at their home in the Endebess area to honor her memory.
Joseph also revealed that prior to the fatal attack, Ndiema had been stalking and threatening Cheptegei, leading the family to seek help from law enforcement. The tragic incident has once again highlighted the concerning rates of violence against women in Kenya, with statistics showing that a significant number of dating or married women have experienced physical or sexual violence from their partners.
The ongoing activism and public outcry surrounding Cheptegei’s death underscore the need for stronger measures to address gender-based violence and ensure the safety and well-being of women in Kenya and beyond.