UN condemns ‘tragic death’ of Olympian Cheptegei

By Winfred Watenya The United Nations has mourned the loss of Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who died at a hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, on Thursday, just days after reportedly being set on fire by a boyfriend identified as Dickson Ndiema Marangach. The 33-year-old marathon runner, who lived and trained in northwest Kenya, competed in the recent Olympic Games in Paris. During a disagreement on Sunday, Cheptegei’s boyfriend doused her in petrol and set her alight, causing burns across 80 percent of her body, according to media reports. UNAIDS Executive Director Uganda’s Winnie Byanyima urged everyone to “rise and end Gender based violence (GBV)”, stating that “silence is complicity.” In mourning the loss of “our national star Olympian”, she also […]