Former Partner of Ugandan Olympian Dies from Burns Sustained in Attack

The tragic saga surrounding the death of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei took a new turn when her former partner, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, passed away from burns he sustained in the assault. Marangach had been accused of murdering Cheptegei by dousing her with petrol and setting her on fire. According to officials at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, Marangach died from his injuries on Monday evening.

Cheptegei, 33, who had competed in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, suffered severe burns covering more than 75% of her body during the attack on September 1. Despite efforts to save her, she succumbed to her injuries four days later. Marangach had reportedly sustained 30% burns at the time of the attack, which occurred as Cheptegei was returning home from church with her children.

Daniel Lang’at, a spokesperson for the hospital, confirmed Marangach’s death, stating, “He died from the burns he sustained.” The incident has drawn significant attention to the issue of domestic violence in Kenya, particularly within its running community, where female athletes are often at risk of exploitation and violence.

Cheptegei’s death is notably the third case of an elite female athlete being murdered in Kenya since October 2021. This tragic pattern highlights ongoing concerns about domestic violence in the East African nation. Rights groups have expressed alarm over the vulnerability of female athletes, many of whom train in Kenya’s high-altitude regions and often face abuse from individuals attracted by their prize money.

Viola Cheptoo, co-founder of Tirop’s Angels, a support group for survivors of domestic violence in Kenya’s athletics community, expressed her dismay over the recent developments. “Justice really would have been for him to sit in jail and think about what he had done. This is not positive news whatsoever,” Cheptoo said. She emphasized the ongoing shock and grief from Cheptegei’s death.

Tirop’s Angels was established in memory of Agnes Tirop, a promising Kenyan athlete who was found murdered in her home in Iten in October 2021. Tirop had been stabbed multiple times in the neck. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, faces charges related to her murder and has pleaded not guilty; the case is still ongoing.

The broader issue of violence against women in Kenya is significant. Government data from 2022 reveals that nearly 34% of Kenyan women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, with married women being particularly vulnerable—41% of whom have faced such violence. On a global scale, a disturbing statistic from a 2023 UN Women study indicates that a woman is killed by a family member every 11 minutes.

Cheptegei’s death has thus far served to shed light on the dangerous and often hidden violence faced by female athletes and women in general. The focus now remains on addressing these issues within Kenya’s sports community and beyond, in hopes of preventing further tragedies and ensuring justice for victims.