Shortly after competing in the Paris Olympics, Rebecca Cheptegei, a long-distance runner from Uganda was still struggling for her life on Wednesday after being set on fire by a guy in Kenya.
Following the incident on Sunday, the 33-year-old athlete is receiving treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, in the Rift Valley.
According to acting hospital CEO Owen Menach, Cheptegei suffered burns to 80% of her body on Tuesday and was receiving every treatment possible to preserve her life.
Authorities reported that Cheptegei was doused with fuel and set ablaze at her Endebess home in the western county of Trans-Nzoia by a man they identified as Dickson Ndiema Marangach.
On Wednesday, the hospital did not provide an official medical update.
Her condition has gotten worse, according to a hospital medical counsellor who talked to AFP under anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the media.
“Cheptegei’s severe injuries to his stomach and lower body have resulted in a bacterial infection of sepsis,” the counsellor stated.
Leading Kenyan sports ministry official Peter Tum stated on Wednesday that her treatment was being handled by both the Kenyan and Ugandan governments.
Without providing any further information, he stated in a local television interview that efforts are being made to ensure the athlete, who is admitted in Eldoret, is airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment.
One of Cheptegei’s children reportedly saw the attack at her mother’s house, according to Kenyan media.
“He kicked me while I was trying to run to my mother’s rescue,” she told Kenyan newspaper The Standard. “I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,” said the unnamed girl.
According to the Standard, Cheptegei has two children, ages nine and eleven.
Marangach suffered 30% burns to his body as a result of the incident. He was initially identified by the police as Cheptegei’s boyfriend.
However, Cheptegei’s father informed the local press that his daughter was wed to a man from Uganda who was not present in Kenya.
On August 11, Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Games and finished 44th.
The attack on Cheptegei occurred two years after athlete Damaris Mutua, who was born in Kenya, was discovered dead in the house.
According to the most recent data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, which was released in January 2023, 34% of Kenyan women have been physically abused since they were fifteen years old.
Bottom Line
Cheptegei’s condition is critical with severe burns covering 80% of her body, and the presence of sepsis further complicating her chances of survival.
The fact that both Kenyan and Ugandan governments are involved in her care, with discussions of airlifting her for specialized treatment, indicates the gravity of her situation and the recognition of her status as an accomplished athlete.
This incident is not just an isolated case of domestic violence but part of a broader, deeply rooted issue of violence against women in East Africa.
The statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, showing that 34% of Kenyan women have experienced physical abuse since age 15, point to a pervasive problem that requires urgent attention and action from governments, communities, and international organizations.
