Activists join funeral march for Uganda Olympian Cheptegei, campaign against violence

The body of murdered Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei began its journey home to Uganda on Friday, as activists rallied against the latest reported case of gender-based violence in Kenya.

The 33-year-old athlete succumbed to her wounds last week after being attacked on September 1 by her Kenyan partner, who poured petrol over her and set her on fire.

It happened just weeks after she made her Olympic debut in the women’s marathon in Paris, where she finished 44th.

Her funeral is planned for Saturday in Bukwo, home to her family in Uganda, but relatives in Kenya paid their respects on Friday in the Rift Valley town of Eldoret, near where she lived.

Cheptegei is the third athlete to have died in Kenya as a result of gender-based violence since 2021, provoking a global outpouring of tributes and rage.

Tony Sabila, Cheptegei’s uncle, described her as “a pillar to the family” and expressed his sadness over the loss.

As the body passed through the town of Eldoret, scores of activists lined the road with others walking alongside the hearse.

At a rally the same day, many wore white T-shirts with an image of Cheptegei and carried white or red roses.

Others had signs reading “Say no to femicide,” “Being a woman should not be a death sentence” and “A house where a woman is not safe is not a home”.

Femicide refers to the intentional killing of women or girls because of their gender. It is a severe form of gender-based violence that stems from deeply rooted sexism, misogyny, and societal inequalities.

Cheptegei was attacked outside her house in Endebass, Kenya. Local media reported that her young daughters and teenage sister witnessed the brutal assault.

Her attacker, 32-year-old Dickson Ndiema Marangach, was also severely burnt and died in hospital on Monday.

A 2023 report by Kenya’s National Bureau of Statistics found 34 per cent of women had experienced physical violence since the age of 15.

AFP