Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei tragically passed away days after her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, allegedly set her on fire. Cheptegei, who had represented Uganda at the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished 44th in the women’s marathon, lived in Kenya at the time of the incident.
The devastating event occurred in Western Trans Nzoia County, Nairobi, on a Sunday after a domestic dispute. Authorities revealed that Ndiema poured petrol on Cheptegei and set her ablaze during the argument, which left her with burns covering 75% of her body.
Ndiema also suffered burn injuries and is currently receiving specialized treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. Reports suggest that the dispute stemmed from a disagreement over land ownership, a piece of property Cheptegei had reportedly purchased to be closer to the athletic training centers in the region.
This incident follows a series of tragic deaths involving female athletes in Kenya. In 2021, Kenya’s Agnes Tirop was found stabbed to death in her home, with her husband named as the primary suspect. Similarly, in 2022, Kenyan-born athlete Damaris Mutua was found dead, and her then-boyfriend was also identified as a suspect. Cheptegei’s untimely death adds to the growing concerns about domestic violence against athletes.
