Return home, Joshua Cheptegei asks Ugandan athletes training in Kenya

Uganda’s World and Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei has urged Ugandan athletes training in Kenya to return home.

“All Ugandan athletes in Kenya should come back home. We don’t want to come here again for a similar function (burial),” Cheptegei said at the burial of his namesake and Olympic marathon runner, Rebecca Cheptegei, on Saturday.

The burial took place at Rebecca’s ancestral home in Kapsiywo Village, Muimet Parish, Bukwo District, where Mr Peter Ogwang, the Minister of State for Sports, represented President Museveni. 

Cheptegei, who trained in Iten, Kenya, until 2015, was referring to the death of Ugandan athletes in Kenya, including Benjamin Kiplagat, who was stabbed last year. Kiplagat, 34, represented Uganda in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2012 London Olympics.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Sports Kipchumba Murkomen, who represented President William Ruto, acknowledged the failure of the government and community to protect Rebecca.

“We are guilty as a government, but the community is also guilty. They knew what Cheptegei was going through with her boyfriend, but no one reported it,” Murkomen said.

Mr Ogwang highlighted the domestic challenges faced by female athletes, stating: “Some female athletes are not allowed to have their ATM cards, which are kept by their partners. Men should stop interfering with women’s resources.”

He also announced plans to allocate funds for a training facility in Amanang in the next financial year.

President Museveni contributed Shs50 million to Rebecca’s two daughters, while President Ruto contributed Shs15 million towards the burial expenses. The ceremony was attended by athletes from Uganda and abroad, with many speakers condemning gender-based violence.

Rebecca, a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) sergeant, died from multiple organ failure in an Eldoret hospital after her boyfriend doused her with petrol and set her ablaze. She was given a full military funeral, including a three-gun salute. Rebecca is survived by two daughters, aged nine and 11. 

Her death has sparked outrage, especially among women’s rights campaigners, who have long warned about the rising number of female murders.

Ms Beatrice Ayikoru, Secretary-General of the Uganda Olympic Committee, condemned the attack, calling it “a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.”

Ayikoru added: “We need male athletes to step up and protect female colleagues from abuse by spouses. The UOC condemns all forms of violence, especially against sportswomen.”

Rebecca was the third female athlete killed in Kenya in the past three years. In 2021, Kenyan runner Agnes Jebet Tirop, who set a world record in the 10-kilometre race, was stabbed to death in her home by her husband. In 2022, Damaris Muthee Mutua, a Bahrain-based athlete, was found strangled in Iten, Kenya.

Ms Elizabeth Keiteny, from the Executive Board of Athletes Kenya, noted that they have helped six young women escape abusive relationships since 2012 by providing safe housing and counselling.

Rebecca’s father, Mr Joseph Cheptegei, spoke of his daughter’s crucial role in the family.

“She was the breadwinner, supporting us financially and educating her siblings and vulnerable children in the area. She was God-fearing, humble, intelligent, and hardworking. Her loss has left a big gap in the family,” he said.

Her brother, Elijah Cheptegei, expressed regret that Rebecca had not confided in them about her troubles.

“She didn’t tell us what she was going through. If she had, we could have saved her life,” he said.

During a special Bukwo District Council session, local leaders honoured Rebecca with a moment of silence and standing ovation. District Councillor Fred Yeko said: “She inspired many children to join athletics. We’ve lost her when we needed her most.”

He blamed her death on the lack of adequate training facilities in Uganda’s Sebei Sub-region, urging the government to address this issue. Yeko also suggested naming a road and a local sports venue in Rebecca’s honor, while another councillor, Mr Patrick Rashid, called on the government to enhance security for female athletes. Bukwo Woman MP Evelyn Chemutai warned men to stop abusing women, saying: “How can you kill a woman over property? This must stop.”