Ugandan Marathon record holder Rebecca Cheptegei was laid to rest today at Kapkoros in Bukwo, Northeast of Uganda’s capital Kampala.
Cheptegei, 34 who was a sergeant in Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces was buried with full military honours.
She joined the forces in 2008 after she started running.
On Friday emotions ran high as family, friends and fellow athletes removed her body from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) mortuary.
In the evening, they crossed the Kenya-Uganda border.
The mother of two succumbed to severe burns after she was attacked by her husband Dickson Ndiema Marangach at their house in Endebes Trans Nzoia county on September 2.
Marangach doused her in petrol before he set her on fire. She died four days later at the MTRH.
Marangach, 32 who also sustained burns died at MTRH on September 9.
It was reported the two quarrelled over a land in Endebes she bought but Marangach wanted to evict her.
Scores of athletes attended the burial alongside Ugandan government officials led by Sports Minister Peter Ogwang.
Also in attendance was Kenya Cabinet Secretary for Sports Kipchumba Murkomen, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, MPs led by Eveylne Chemutai and Dr Robert Pukose, and the athletics fraternity from Kenya.
Her ex-husband Simon Ayeko with whom Cheptegei had two daughters told the media they were extremely saddened.
“As a father it has been very difficult,” he told the AFP, explaining he had not been able to break the news to their children.
“Slowly we will tell them the truth.”
The vicious assault has thrown yet another spotlight on what activists have called a femicide epidemic.
In 2021, world-record holder Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death and six months later Damaris Mutua was strangled.
Cheptegei’s last race was Paris Olympic concluded in August. Although she came 44th people in her home area still referred to her as “champion”.
She won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022.
