Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically died after her partner set her on fire earlier this month, will be laid to rest on Saturday. The 33-year-old marathon runner, who debuted at the Paris Olympics this summer, succumbed to severe burns in a brutal act of gender-based violence.
Cheptegei’s body crossed the Kenya-Uganda border on Friday, with a funeral scheduled in her home village of Bukwo. The incident has sparked outrage across East Africa, with activists condemning the growing cases of gender-based violence. Her estranged husband, Simon Ayeko, expressed the pain of not yet telling their two daughters the tragic news.
Cheptegei, a sergeant in the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, will be buried with military honors at 10:00 am on Saturday. Scores of athletes and dignitaries will attend to honor her contributions to athletics.
