Ugandan Olympic Marathon Runner Rebecca Cheptegei to be Buried in State Funeral

Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who was brutally attacked and set ablaze by her former boyfriend, is set to be laid to rest in a state funeral on Saturday. The tragic incident occurred just under a fortnight ago outside her home in north-west Kenya, near her training grounds. Cheptegei’s death has left her family devastated and shocked people around the world, shedding light on the alarming levels of violence against women in Kenya, particularly among female athletes.

Cheptegei succumbed to her injuries in the hospital four days after the attack. Doctors reported that she had suffered extensive burns covering over 80% of her body, leading to multi-organ failure. Her assailant, Dickson Ndiema, also sustained burns when some of the fuel splashed onto his own body. Ndiema passed away on Monday.

The attack took place after Cheptegei returned from a church service at God’s Dwelling Ministry, where she was described as a “wonderful… God-fearing person” by Pastor Caroline Atieno. The pastor had the opportunity to speak to Cheptegei over the phone while she was in the hospital. During their conversation, Cheptegei expressed disbelief that Ndiema could not remember the kindness she had shown him and questioned why he had resorted to such a horrific act.

Cheptegei’s funeral is scheduled to take place in Bukwo, her family’s hometown in Uganda, near the Kenyan border. Prior to the funeral, family members, friends, and activists against gender-based violence paid their respects to the athlete at a funeral home in Eldoret, Kenya. Cheptegei’s mother, Agnes Cheptegei, visibly distraught, wore a souvenir bag from the recent Paris Olympics, where her daughter finished 44th in the marathon. The bag bore the slogan “being a woman should not be a death sentence.” Agnes Cheptegei’s attire served as a poignant reminder of the ongoing violence faced by women in Kenya.

Tragically, Cheptegei is the third female athlete to be killed in Kenya in the past three years, with current or former romantic partners identified as the primary suspects in each case. The prevalence of attacks against women has become a significant concern in the country, with a national survey revealing that at least 34% of women experienced physical violence in 2022.

Observers note that female athletes, who challenge traditional gender norms by becoming financially independent and pursuing their athletic careers, may be increasingly vulnerable to such violence. Joan Chelimo, co-founder of Tirop’s Angels, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about violence against women, emphasized the need to prevent similar tragedies from befalling other women, regardless of their background.

Rebecca Cheptegei’s journey in running began when she joined the Uganda People’s Defence Forces in 2008, which provided her with support. Her final race was at the Paris Olympics, where she may not have achieved a top position but remained a “champion” in the eyes of her community. She had previously won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022.