Anger is mounting over the murder of Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who died Thursday in Kenya of organ failure, four days after her boyfriend doused her body in gasoline and set her on fire. Activists in Kenya are demanding authorities respond to the crisis of gender-based violence. Government data shows 40% of married women in Kenya have experienced intimate partner violence. In 2021, Kenyan Olympic runner Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death by her partner, whose murder case is still ongoing. This is Milcah Chemos Cheywa, another professional runner and friend of Cheptegei.

Milcah Chemos Cheywa: “I can say we are still in shock and we are in pain, especially as athletes. And this thing happening in Kenya, this is the second time an athlete has been attacked. We remember the case of Agnes Tirop. Now it has come to Rebecca, so we are not happy.”