Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, tragically set ablaze by her former boyfriend, is set to be honored with a state funeral on Saturday. The incident, which occurred just under two weeks ago, has left her family devastated and sparked outrage worldwide.
Cheptegei, who was attacked with petrol by Dickson Ndiema outside her home in north-west Kenya, succumbed to her injuries four days later. Medical professionals reported that she suffered burns covering over 80% of her body, leading to multi-organ failure.
The brutal nature of her death has cast a spotlight on the alarming levels of violence against women in Kenya, particularly affecting female athletes. In recent years, several women in sports have faced similar fates.
Ndiema, who sustained burns himself during the attack, passed away shortly after Cheptegei. Eyewitness accounts reveal that the assault occurred after she returned home from a church service.
Her pastor described Cheptegei as a “wonderful, God-fearing person.” During a phone call from the hospital, Cheptegei expressed concern for her children and questioned why Ndiema failed to appreciate her past kindness towards him.
The funeral will take place in Bukwo, Uganda, near the Kenyan border. On the eve of the funeral, family, friends, and gender-based violence activists paid their respects as her coffin was displayed at a funeral home in Eldoret, Kenya.
Her mother, visibly distraught, was seen carrying a keepsake bag from the Paris Olympics, where Rebecca finished 44th in the marathon. Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the message “being a woman should not be a death sentence,” she represents the growing frustration over the violence directed at women.
Cheptegei is the third female athlete murdered in Kenya in the past three years, with police identifying romantic partners as primary suspects in these cases. This pattern of violence has raised significant concerns among advocates for women’s safety.
Indeed, the threat of violence against women is increasing in Kenya. A national survey from 2022 revealed that at least 34% of women reported experiencing physical violence. Female athletes, who challenge traditional gender norms, are perceived as particularly at risk.
Advocates for women’s rights, including Joan Chelimo, emphasize the need to address the underlying societal issues contributing to this violence, urging that no woman, whether an athlete or from a rural village, should have to face such threats.
Cheptegei’s journey in running began when she joined the Uganda People’s Defence Forces in 2008. Despite facing adversity, her spirit endures; she was celebrated as a champion after her final race at the Paris Olympics and had previously triumphed at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2022.
