Ugandan Olympic Athlete Died In A Fire Attack By Her Boyfriend
Ugandan Olympic athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, passed away in Kenya following a fire attack started by her boyfriend. The Uganda Olympic Committee chief confirmed the news.
Ugandan lawyer, Donald Rukare said in a post on X, “We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei…following a vicious attack by her boyfriend”.
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He described the fire attack being “senseless and cowardly” as it led the country to bear the loss of an amazing athlete. He cited that people would not forget her and learn to endure taking her as an example.
The Ugandan Olympic athlete was only 33 years old and had to bear 80 per cent of the burns on her body. Details about her condition were revealed by the acting director of the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in the Rift Valley. She was getting treated by the doctors at the hospital in Eldoret.
A medic at the hospital facility told the media, “All her organs failed last night”.
Her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, as identified by the police, drenched the athlete with petrol and set her alight. She was attacked on Sunday at her home in Endebess, in the western Trans-Nzoia county.
After a few weeks when the Olympic athlete took part in the recent Paris Olympics, the incident took place. She earned 44th place in the race.
The Ugandan Olympic athlete’s daughters as witnesses
Her daughters are the witnesses of her assault. They narrated that they had seen at home how it happened. It is alleged that their fight started over the ownership of the house, which was with Cheptegei at the time of her death.
One of the girls reported, “He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother. I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water but it was not possible”.
The boyfriend also got injuries during the incident, which were approximately 30 per cent of his body.
Cheptegei began her career as an athlete in 20202 and became Uganda’s representative in long-distance games for the Olympics in Paris.
The fire attack incident is felt with deep sorrow by the Uganda Athletics Federation in a statement posted on X. The statement indicated that the federation is deeply saddened to announce the death of a great Ugandan Olympic athlete, who “fell victim to domestic violence.”
They also condemned such acts and asked for justice on the athlete’s behalf. It would remain a spotlight in Ugandan history, especially if an Olympic athlete is not safe from it, the federation spoke.
Uganda’s minister, Peter Ogwang also proclaimed her death as “tragic”. He mentioned that authorities in Kenya are investigating the circumstances that could have instigated the incident. He said a more detailed report is being created and will be made available over the next few days.
The incident would also remain a memory, particularly after two years of a similar attack on Kenyan-born athlete Damaris Mutua. The player was discovered dead at Iten, a well-known jogging destination in the Rift Valley.
Moreover, the Uganda Olympic Committee asked for swift action over the matter. They requested that law enforcement agencies get the perpetrator to court and get justice for the athlete.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics revealed some shocking facts about physical violence against Kenyan women. Since the age of 15, they suffer from such violence due to which 34 per cent of the women were reported to be the victim till the data published in January 2023.
