Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei tragically passed away on Thursday while receiving treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret due to organ failure, as confirmed by the hospital’s Clinical Services Director, Owen Menach.
Cheptegei, who had recently competed in the Olympic Games, suffered severe injuries after being doused with petrol and set on fire by her estranged partner, Dickson Ndiema, in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County. The attack, which occurred on Sunday, left her with burns covering 80 percent of her body, ultimately leading to her death.
“All her organs failed last night,” a medic at MTRH informed Citizen Digital on Thursday.
The Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) also confirmed Cheptegei’s passing on their official X account, expressing their deep sorrow and calling for justice in the face of this act of domestic violence.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning, who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace,” read the statement from Uganda Athletics.
Cheptegei’s death comes just weeks after she competed in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, where she finished 44th. She was 33 years old.
According to earlier reports, Cheptegei’s daughters witnessed the brutal assault. One of them recounted, “He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother.” The girl, who remains unnamed, added that she cried out for help, attracting a neighbor who attempted to extinguish the flames, but it was too late.
Ndiema also sustained injuries during the incident, with 30 percent of his body burned.
This tragic incident has once again brought attention to the issue of domestic violence in Kenya, echoing the deaths of other athletes such as Damaris Mutua, who was found dead in 2022, and record-breaking runner Agnes Tirop, who was found stabbed to death in her home in 2021. The trial for Tirop’s estranged husband, who has denied charges of her murder, is still ongoing.
According to a report published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics in January 2023, 34 percent of women in Kenya have experienced physical violence since the age of 15.
