The Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has tragically died after allegedly being set on fire by her boyfriend, following an argument over an land dispute.
Cheptegei, an Olympic marathon runner, was taken to hospital in Kenya after she was allegedly doused in petrol by her boyfriend and sustained 80% burns to her body. The head of the Uganda’s Olympics committee confirmed her death on Thursday in a post on X.
'We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence,’ a further post from the Uganda athletics federation said. ‘As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace.’
Jeremiah ole Kosiom, Trans Nzoia County Police Commander, said that Cheptegei’s boyfriend purchased a jerry can of petrol, poured it on her and set her on fire. In an interview with the Standard newspaper in Kenya, he said: ‘The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her,’ continuing ‘The suspect was also caught by the fire and sustained serious burns.’ Cheptegei’s boyfriend also sustained burn wounds and is receiving treatment at the same hospital, although his injuries are less severe.
According to Cheptegei’s parents, she bought land in Trans Nzoia to be near the athletic training centres in Kenya. Cheptegei and her boyfriend were heard fighting over the land where the house was built before the fire started, according to a report filed by the local police chief.
He previously said: ‘The [suspect] is believed to have sneaked into the compound at around 2pm on Sunday while the woman and the children were in church. Upon returning, [the suspect] who had procured petrol, began pouring it on Rebecca before he set her a blaze. The two were rescued by neighbours who put out the fire and rushed them to hospital at Kitale County Referral Hospital.’
Cheptegei had an established career as an athlete. It started in 2010 where she represented Uganda in various long-distance races, before making her first Olympic appearance at the games in Paris, where she finished 44th in the marathon. She has two daughters who are understood to be age 9 and 11.
This isn’t the first time a female athlete in Kenya has been the victim of horrific gender-based violence. Cheptegei’s death follows the killing of two other East African athletes – Agnes Tirop in 2021 and Damaris Mutua in 2022. For both women, their partners were identified as the main suspects by the authorities.
Gender-based violence is a growing concern for women across the country. According to a 2020 report by the World Health Organization, Kenya experiences one of the highest rates of femicide in Africa, with an estimated 47 women killed each week. Shockingly, this represents a 50% increase in femicide cases over the past decade. Tirop’s death led current and former athletes to set up the non-profit charity foundation Tirop’s Angels to fight domestic violence against women and girls.
Joan Chelimo, one of the founders of Tirop’s Angels, told Reuters that female athletes in Kenya were at high risk of exploitation and violence by men because of their status and wealth. Meanwhile, thousands of Kenyan women took part in a protest earlier this year against gender-based violence. The way athletes in Kenya continue to compete and excel in the face of threats to their safety shows their strength and determination.
Across the board, there is an agreement there needs to be an end to gender-based violence – and fast. Kenya’s sports minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, called Cheptegei’s death a loss ‘to the entire region,’ adding ‘This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to combat gender-based violence in our society, which in recent years has reared its ugly head in elite sporting circles.’
Team GB middle-distance runner Eilish McColgan, posted on X ‘This is heartbreaking. Even more heartbreaking that it's not the first time the athletics community has lost such an incredible female athlete to domestic violence. It needs to stop.’