Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, poured petrol on her and set her on fire during a disagreement at their home. Her mother, Agnes, had dreaded this moment for years.
NAIROBI—Last September, Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei lost her life in Kenya at the hands of an intimate partner.
NAIROBI—Last September, Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei lost her life in Kenya at the hands of an intimate partner.
Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, poured petrol on her and set her on fire during a disagreement at their home. Her mother, Agnes, had dreaded this moment for years.
“This wasn’t the first time our daughter suffered at his hands,” Agnes Cheptegei said, her voice trembling.
Cheptegei’s tragic death took place barely seven months after more than 10,000 women took to the streets of Nairobi to protest femicide, the killing of women. The January 2024 protests, which spread throughout the country, led to a flurry of commitments from Kenyan President William Ruto’s government, such as establishing a dedicated police unit for femicide cases, fast-tracking judicial proceedings, and supporting shelters for survivors of gender-based violence. Femicide cases in Kenya have risen in the last year, however, making 2024 one of the deadliest years on record for Kenyan women.
Activists claim t
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