By Ronny Thiong’o
Paying his final respects to Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, Cabinet secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Kipchumba Murkomen emphasized the urgent need to tackle gender-based violence in sports.
“Her death, which shook not just Uganda and the athletics community but the entire East African region, should prick our conscience to do more to end gender-based violence in sports he said, speaking at her home in Bukwo district, Uganda.
Rebecca Cheptegei, who passed away on September 5, was a celebrated figure in athletics.
“Rebecca was a loving mother and a friend to many. She had worked hard and catapulted herself to international glory, only for her dreams to be cut short by a vicious attack from someone she knew,” Murkomen added.
The tragic death of Cheptegei mirrors similar cases in the region, including that of Agnes Tirop, a Kenyan world record holder.
“Sadly, Cheptegei’s death wasn’t the first such tragedy in Kenya,” he remarked, referencing the murder of Tirop, which prompted the formation of a committee to address gender-based violence in sports.
“We must implement these recommendations to create a safe environment where athletes can thrive,” he emphasized.
The measures proposed include mainstreaming psychosocial support and ensuring that female sports camps are managed by women.
For travelling teams, a female matron will accompany women’s teams at all levels of competition to prevent male-dominated technical teams.
Present at the event were Ugandan government officials led by Sports Minister Peter Ogwang, as well as Kenyan leaders including Nandi Governor Stephen Sang and other MPs.
The athletics fraternity from both Kenya and Uganda also came together to honor Cheptegei’s legacy.