The emotional farewell of Rebecca Cheptegei, the slain Ugandan athlete, brought together a sombre gathering in her hometown of Bukwo District, Uganda, where she was laid to rest in a military-run burial.

Cheptegei, a sergeant in the Ugandan military, was honoured with a gun salute, marking her service in the military as is customary for such funerals.

The ceremony attracted a significant delegation of Kenyan athletes and sports officials, underscoring the deep bonds shared between the two nations in athletics.

The athletes in attendance were renowned marathoners Mary Keitany, Joan Chelimo, Faith Cherop, Daniel Komen, Gilbert Kemboi, Vanessa Chemutai, and Shadrack Koech.

Key Kenyan government figures, including Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Sports Director Jackson Indakwa, Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei, and Nandi County Governor Stephen Sang, joined their Ugandan counterparts at the ceremony. Uganda’s Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, stood alongside CS Murkomen to pay their respects.

CS Murkomen delivered a heartfelt tribute, reflecting on the tragic loss of a promising athlete whose legacy had inspired many.

He emphasized the urgent need for the athletics community and governments to take decisive action to combat gender-based violence (GBV), stating, “Her death serves as a wake-up call for both our countries and athletics federations to come up with laws and actions to protect female athletes.”

Cheptegei was remembered for her remarkable achievements in athletics, particularly in the marathon, where she held records that inspired numerous female athletes. Murkomen drew attention to the growing cases of GBV within the sporting community and urged a collective response to address the issue.

In Kenya, the death of Agnes Tirop in 2021 had already prompted Athletics Kenya to form a Sports Committee on Gender Welfare and Equity, tasked with investigating and addressing the persistent challenges facing female athletes.

The committee’s findings highlighted widespread issues of GBV, including sexual exploitation, physical and emotional abuse, intimidation, and manipulation within the athletics community, often perpetrated by coaches, officials, and even teammates.

Murkomen vowed that his administration would prioritize the implementation of the committee’s recommendations in Kenya, to eradicate these harmful practices within sports.

Cheptegei’s body arrived in her hometown on Friday afternoon, with her casket draped in the colours of the Ugandan flag. Her final journey was marked by a poignant moment at the Suam border town, where her family, officials from the Uganda Athletics Federation, and government representatives received her remains.

Her death is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by female athletes, and the call to action from leaders like Murkomen signals a commitment to addressing the deeper societal issues that continue to threaten their safety and well-being.

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