Activists be part of a march in Eldoret, Kenya, as Cheptegei’s physique begins its remaining journey to his household house in Bukwo, Uganda, for his funeral.
The physique of slain Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei has begun its journey house to Uganda, accompanied by activists calling for an finish to gender-based violence in Kenya.
The 33-year-old athlete died from her accidents on September 5 after being attacked 4 days earlier by her Kenyan accomplice, who doused her with gasoline and set her on fireplace.
It got here simply weeks after she made her Olympic debut within the ladies’s marathon in Paris, the place she completed forty fourth.
His funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Bukwo, his household’s house in Uganda, however kinfolk in Kenya paid their respects on Friday within the Rift Valley city of Eldoret, close to the place he lived.
Cheptegei is the third athlete to die in Kenya because of gender-based violence since 2021, prompting a world outpouring of tributes and anger.
Cheptegei’s uncle Tony Sabila described her as “a pillar of the household” and expressed his disappointment at her loss.
Because the physique handed by way of the city of Eldoret, dozens of activists lined the highway and others walked alongside the hearse.
At a rally held the identical day, many wore white T-shirts bearing Cheptegei’s picture and carried white or purple roses.
Others held indicators that learn: “Being a girl shouldn’t be a dying sentence” and “A home the place a girl will not be secure will not be a house.”
Cheptegei was attacked exterior her house in Endebass, Kenya. Native media reported that her younger daughters and teenage sister witnessed the assault.
His attacker, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, 32, additionally suffered critical burns and died in hospital on Monday.
Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, informed reporters that the dispute with Marangach had been over the property the place he lived along with his sister and her daughters. Final week, he informed Kenyan media that Marangach had purchased 5 litres of petrol after which hidden in a hen coop earlier than the assault.
“He poured gasoline on her and set her on fireplace. When she referred to as her sister for assist, he threatened her with a machete and she or he ran away.”
Police mentioned the couple had “continuously had household fights.”
The United Nations condemned her “violent homicide” alongside Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres, saying: “Gender-based violence is among the most prevalent human rights violations on the earth and should be handled as such.”
Throughout Kenya, 41 % of married ladies have skilled bodily violence, in comparison with 20 % of single ladies.
A minimum of 500 ladies and ladies have been killed in Kenya since 2016, in line with the UN.
UN Girls Africa figures present that globally, 89,000 murders of ladies and ladies had been reported in 2022, the very best quantity recorded in 20 years. Greater than half of ladies and ladies had been killed by their intimate companions or different members of the family.
Kenya’s Sports activities Minister Kipchumba Murkomen mentioned the Olympian’s dying was a “stark reminder” that extra should be completed to fight gender-based violence.
