Athlete Rebeca Cheptegei’s former partner, Dickson Ndiema, has passed away at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. The hospital confirmed that Ndiema died Monday night in the ICU where he had been receiving treatment. This follows Cheptegei’s death a few days earlier at the same facility.
Ndiema had previously attacked Cheptegei at her home in Trans Nzoia, where he poured petrol on her and set her alight, resulting in injuries to both of them. Cheptegei suffered over 80 percent burns, while Ndiema sustained burns covering more than 30 percent of his body.
Cheptegei will be laid to rest on Saturday in Uganda with full military honors, as confirmed by her family, led by her father, Mzee Joseph Cheptegei. Cheptegei was a member of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), which will oversee her military burial.
The family is coordinating with both Kenyan and Ugandan authorities to ensure she receives a proper farewell at Bukwo, located in Eastern Uganda. A postmortem on Cheptegei’s body is scheduled for Wednesday at the hospital to determine the cause of her death and provide closure for her family.
Following the postmortem, her body will be released to her family and the UPDF on Thursday morning, then transported to her residence in Endebes, Trans Nzoia, for an overnight vigil. This will allow local residents to pay their respects and participate in prayers.
On Friday, the body will be transported to Bukwo, Uganda, for another overnight vigil, with the funeral service and burial planned for Saturday. High-ranking officials from both Kenya and Uganda are expected to attend the ceremony.
