Ugandan Olympian dies after being set on fire by his partner

Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has tragically died at the age of 33, just days after she was attacked, doused with petrol and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend.

Cheptegei, who recently took part in the Olympic Games in Paris, succumbed to severe burns sustained in the attack on Sunday.

Dr Kimani Mbugua, a specialist doctor at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, told local media that despite the best efforts of staff, the athlete suffered severe burns that led to multi-organ failure, eventually leading to her death at 05:30 local time (02:30 GMT).

Attack on Rebecca Cheptegei

Trans Nzoia County Police Commissioner Jeremiah ole Kosiom reported on Monday that Cheptegei’s partner Dickson Ndiema bought a can of petrol during an argument on Sunday, poured it on her and set her on fire. Ndiema also suffered burns in the incident and was treated at the same hospital.

Authorities in northwestern Kenya reported that Rebecca Cheptegei was attacked as she returned home from church with her two daughters. Cheptegei had been living and training in the area when she was attacked.

Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter had bought land in Trans Nzoia to take advantage of the area’s numerous sports training centres. According to a report by the local chief, the couple were overheard arguing about ownership of the land on which their house stood shortly before Ndiema’s attack.

Peter Ogwang, Uganda’s Minister of State for Sports, said Kenyan authorities were investigating the killing. The incident has drawn attention to the wider problem of violence against women in the East African region.

Violence against women is widespread in East Africa

Violence against women has become a significant problem in Kenya. A 2022 nationwide survey found that at least 34% of Kenyan girls and women between the ages of 15 and 49 have experienced physical violence, with married women particularly at risk.

The survey also found that 41% of married women had experienced violence. In addition, a report by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime found that African countries reported the highest number of femicides in 2022, both in total numbers and relative to the continent’s female population.

Her death follows the murder of East African athletes Agnes Tirop in 2021 and Damaris Mutua the following year. In both cases, the athletes’ partners were identified by authorities as prime suspects.

Tirop, a promising Kenyan sportswoman, was found dead at her home in Iten at the age of 25 with multiple stab wounds to the neck. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was charged with murder and pleaded not guilty; the case is still ongoing.

Her death shocked the nation and led to the founding of “Tirop’s Angels” by current and former athletes in 2022 to combat domestic violence.

Joseph Cheptegei, her father, spoke of the loss of a “very understanding” daughter. Addressing the media outside the hospital where she was being treated, he called on the Kenyan government to ensure justice for her death.

Cheptegei finished 44th in the marathon at the recent Paris Olympics and also secured gold at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.