Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei laid to rest

Hundreds of mourners in Uganda paid their respects to Rebecca Cheptegei, the Olympic athlete who died closing week in Kenya after her accomplice region her on fireplace.

A protection pressure funeral became as soon as held in a far flung town design the Kenyan border.

Militia officers carried out a excellent role within the funeral on epic of Cheptegei held the foul of sergeant in Uganda’s military, stated protection pressure spokesman Brig. Felix Kulayigye, together with that she deserved a “gun salute that befits her foul.”

Athletes, family members and others delivered their eulogies earlier than hundreds in a sports discipline within the district of Bukwo.

Cheptegei, who became as soon as 33, will be buried in a while Saturday.

She died after her body suffered 80% burns within the assault by Dickson Ndiema, who doused her in gasoline at her dwelling in western Kenya’s Trans-Nzoia County on Sept. 3.

Ndiema sustained 30% burns on his body and later succumbed to his accidents.

According to a document filed by the local chief, they quarreled over a part of land the athlete supplied in Kenya.

The horrific gasoline assault terrorized many and bolstered requires the security of female runners going by means of exploitation and abuse within the East African nation.

Cheptegei’s body became as soon as returned to Uganda Friday in a somber procession following a avenue march by dozens of activists within the western Kenyan town of Eldoret who demanded an cessation to physical violence in opposition to female athletes.

Cheptegei is the fourth female athlete to maintain been killed by her accomplice in Kenya in a caring sample of gender-essentially essentially based totally violence in recent years. Kenya’s high charges of violence in opposition to girls maintain triggered several marches this twelve months.

Ugandan officials maintain condemned the assault, anxious justice for Cheptegei. First girl Janet Museveni, who also serves as Uganda’s education and sports minister, described the assault as “deeply disturbing.”

Don Rukare, chairman of the National Council of Sports of Uganda, stated in an announcement on X that the assault became as soon as “a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a wide athlete.”

Four in 10 girls, or an estimated 41% of relationship or married Kenyan girls, maintain experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by their recent or most up-to-date accomplice, according to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Peek.

Many Ugandan athletes articulate across the border in Kenya, an athletics powerhouse with greater services and products. Among the build’s simplest runners articulate together at a high-altitude centre in Kenya’s west.

Cheptegei competed within the girls’s marathon at the Paris Olympics, finishing in forty fourth build, lower than a month earlier than the assault. She had represented Uganda at other competitions.

Extra sources • AP