Thousands of mourners have turned out in eastern Uganda for the funeral of Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who was set ablaze by her former boyfriend and later died.
Dickson Ndiema attacked her with petrol just under a fortnight ago outside her home in neighbouring north-west Kenya, close to where she trained.
The 33-year-old’s killing, and its brutal nature, left her family distraught and shocked many others across the world.
It underscored the high levels of violence against women in Kenya and the fact that several female athletes have been victims in recent years.
Among those at the sombre and emotional funeral ceremony in a school field in Bukwo, Cheptegei’s home district, are fellow athletes wearing black T-shirts with the slogan “say no to gender-based violence”.
Earlier, with her coffin on display and draped in the Ugandan flag, local leaders held a memorial service.
They observed a moment of silence and gave a standing ovation as they paid their respects to the late athlete.
Councillors said Cheptegei lived “a simple and focused life” and always offered guidance to her fellow athletes. “She inspired many children in the area to join athletics,” one said.
They also proposed to name a road and a local sports venue in her honour.
She is due to be buried later on Saturday at her father’s homestead nearby.
