Ugandan Olympian Chaptegei Laid to Rest with Full Military Honors

Ugandan Olympian Chaptegei Laid to Rest with Full Military Honors

On Saturday, Ugandans paid tribute to Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who passed away after her partner set her on fire in Kenya, before laying her to rest near her family's village. 

The 33-year-old athlete, who made her Olympic debut in the women’s marathon in Paris this summer, died from severe burns inflicted by her attacker, Kenyan Dickson Ndiema Marangach, last week. 

The tragic incident, which deeply shocked East Africa, drew global attention, with activists condemning it as another example of gender-based violence in Kenya. 

In the village of Bukwo, 380 kilometers (240 miles) northeast of Kampala, residents, officials, and family members gathered in the chilly morning to honor Cheptegei. 

“We are deeply saddened,” said Simon Ayeko, her estranged husband and father of their two daughters. He expressed the difficulty of not having informed their children about their mother’s passing, saying, "We will gradually tell them the truth." 

The ceremony to honor Cheptegei, who served as a sergeant in the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF), began at 10:00 am (0700 GMT) at the local council office. Her flag-draped coffin was carried by UPDF officers into a room overlooking the rural hills of her upbringing. 

"Heroine"

Local presidential representative Bessie Modest Ajilong hailed Cheptegei as a "heroine," saying she was "extraordinary" and served as a source of inspiration for many. 

Her body was then taken to a nearby sports stadium, where hundreds gathered to pay their last respects. She was later buried in the mountains, with a gun salute honoring her as a fallen soldier, while local clerics led prayers. 

Peter Ogwang, Uganda’s sports minister, denounced the “barbaric and cowardly” attack that claimed her life and announced that the government would provide roughly $13,000 to each of her children. 

Many athletes, including Kenya’s Mary Keitany and Daniel Komen, traveled to the village for the funeral, while her former coach Alex Malinga remembered Cheptegei as a role model for aspiring young athletes. 

Soured Relationship

Police reported that Marangach had snuck into Cheptegei’s home while she was at church with her children. The couple had been in conflict over ownership of the property, where Cheptegei lived with her sister and daughters, according to her family. 

Moses Kipsiro, her brother-in-law, said, "I believe their relationship had deteriorated at that point," and noted that he had no idea something was amiss when they last spoke. 

Marangach later succumbed to the injuries he sustained during the assault. 

The brutal incident has once again highlighted the issue of femicide, which activists say is an epidemic in Kenya. In 2022, the country recorded 725 femicide cases, according to UN statistics. A report by Kenya’s National Bureau of Statistics also revealed that 34 percent of women have faced physical violence since turning 15. 

Since 2021, at least two other athletes, Agnes Tirop and Damaris Mutua, have been victims of domestic violence leading to their deaths.

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