KINYORO, Kenya, Sept 14 (Askume) – On the morning of Sunday, Sept 1, Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheputegui was preparing to walk from her home in Kenya’s Western Highlands to church when her ex-boyfriend called a friend and asked if he could borrow a lighter.
Speaking at his home in the Mount Elgon region where Cheptegei lives, his friend and retired runner Dennis Masai Chepkongin told Askume he described it as an “emergency situation”.
“When I asked them why they were being so secretive,” Chepkonkin said, they declined the request.
According to Cheptegei’s family and the police, a few hours later, Cheptegei’s ex-boyfriend Dickson Ndiema Mlangazi poured gasoline on the runner and set him on fire.
Both died in hospital from their burns. Malangach could not be reached for comment before his death, and Askume was unable to independently verify details of what happened that day.
A police officer, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, confirmed that Mlangazi was under murder investigation at the time of his death.
The land around Cheptegei’s home in the quiet village of Kiniroro bore witness to a gruesome death. The ground was scorched and soaked in gasoline when reporters arrived last weekend. Her 17-year-old sister, Dorcas, was stabbed and bent over, crying or staring silently at the sky.
The murder of Cheptegei, an athlete who represented Uganda at the Paris Olympics, shocked the world. But his parents told Askume it was no surprise to Cheptegei or his family.
Her story highlights the dark side of success for female athletes in Kenya’s patriarchal society. Top runners earn as much in one marathon as many Kenyans make in a year. Their success, she said, often makes them targets of predatory men who try to manipulate them and take control of their wealth.
Cheptegei is the third female sprinter to be killed in Kenya since 2021, reportedly by her romantic partner. Her funeral was held in the Bukowo district of neighbouring Uganda on Saturday and was conducted with full military honours as the athlete was a member of the Uganda Defence Forces.
Cheptegei tried to defend himself.
The 33-year-old Ugandan-born single mother of two was separated from Marangatch and raised her parents, a dozen siblings and her 9- and 11-year-old sons with her own money, family members said, adding she was the breadwinner of a large family that includes two daughters.
Her father, Joseph, said he reported Malangach to police at least three times this year for threats and physical abuse.
He shared police slips with Askume confirming complaints made in February and May in Kinyoro and the nearby town of Kitale.
Joseph said she told authorities in February that “this man was going to kill my kids” after Malangach allegedly beat her and broke her cell phone.
He said the police told Malangach to stay away from Cheptegei’s house, but he did not listen to them. “So we went back to the police and they were not willing to do anything else. My daughter died because the police failed.”
Neither the local nor the national police responded to requests for comment. Government spokesman Isaac Mwala did not respond to Askume’ questions.
Cheptegei’s killing has sparked outrage among other female runners, who have accused authorities and the sport’s national governing body, Athletics Kenya, of continued inaction.
“Nobody is being held accountable,” said Joan Chelimo, co-founder of Tirop’s Angels (NYSE:TROP), which was set up after he was stabbed to death.
Tirop’s husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was charged with her murder. He pleaded not guilty and was released on bail last year. His case is ongoing and his lawyer declined to comment.
Kenya-Bahrain runner Damaris Mutua was also murdered in 2022. Her Ethiopian boyfriend was named as a suspect. Kenyan police said he fled Kenya.
Kenya’s Sports Minister Kipchuba Mulkomen condemned the Cheptegei attack and promised to take action.
An adviser to President William Ruto said authorities were working to prevent gender-based violence in sport. But activists say their efforts have proven inadequate.
“An Ordinary Man”
Violence against women is a major problem in Kenya. According to government data from 2022, one in three girls and women were victims of it.
Femicide Count Kenya, an NGO that uses media reports to document deliberate killings with gender-related motives, has recorded 157 murders of women by 2024 – the most in a single year since data collection began in 2019.
“More and more women are facing violence but they are not getting any help from the police,” said Audrey Mugenyi, co-founder of the organisation.
Athletics Kenya executive committee member Elizabeth Keitany said her team had helped six young women escape abusive relationships since 2022, providing them with safe accommodation and counselling services.
“Whatever the case, we will deal with it very quickly,” he told Askume.
Cheptegei’s fellow athlete, Esther Chemtai, 24, said when she was 18 she too was in an abusive relationship with a man who wanted her to hand over all her earnings to him. When she refused, he beat her.
He said Chemtai left him in January 2023 with the help of Tirops Angels, who provided him with support and counselling.
Chemutey described Cheptegei as a “straightforward man” who had no hesitation in avoiding controlling men.
“If he says ‘no,’ it means ‘no,'” Chamette said.
Cheptegei also cares deeply for his family. In 2016, he bought land for his father for US$1,200, which was equivalent to 11 months of Kenya’s minimum wage at the time.
His family reports that he met Marangach, a struggling motorcycle taxi driver and aspiring athlete, while he was in Uganda in 2020 or 2021. Malangach inspired him to travel to Kenya and train in Iten, a hub for top distance runners and a high-altitude training destination for tourists.
According to retired sprinter Chepkongine, she built a house in Kinyoro, just two hours’ drive from Iten, and moved there in 2021. She said the former U20 world champion also met her at the same time.
The house is a two-room house built on a small plot of land in a quiet neighbourhood with minimal infrastructure. The roads are unpaved, have potholes and electricity is limited – the Milky Way is clearly visible on a clear night – but the proximity to Iten is great for training.
Police officials said Malangach held the title to the land. Cheptegei’s father denied the claims. He showed Askume a photo of a signed and stamped land document in March 2021, listing Rebecca as the buyer of the Kinyoro plot and Malangach as a witness.
His family and Chepkonkin said Cheptegei helped Malangach financially. The retired runner said he has been friends with Malangach since 2018 and also helps him pay for rent, training equipment and other expenses.
He added, “Before Rebecca came into Dixon’s life, Dixon didn’t have any money.”
Two sisters in Malangach told Askume their family was really poor. But their sister Naomi Chebet Kiprop said the couple had saved money to buy the land where Cheptegei and her daughters lived.
“God will help Dixon get to a place we can call home,” he told Askume.
“Now that Dixon is dead, there’s nothing we can do.”
“Everyone depends on him”
Her father said Cheptegei ended her relationship with Malangach in January. In May, she complained to the police after Malangach sent people to threaten her into handing over her land and house.
Chepkonkin and Samwel Kibet, another friend of Malangach, said they did not follow his advice not to disturb Cheptegei.
On Friday, August 30, Cheptegei again reported the crime to the police. According to her father and Chepkonkin, who accompanied her, officers told her to return the following Monday.
A local police official said police believed it was a land conflict after relations turned sour, adding that police believed they had “made peace” between the two.
On Sunday morning, while Cheptegei and her family were at church, Malangach jumped the wire fence on their land and hid in the chicken coop until she returned, her father said, citing her sister Dorcas.
Joseph Cheptegei said Malangach attacked Rebecca and when Dorcas tried to stop him, he attacked her with an axe.
Dorcas did not reveal the attack to Askume but insisted she hoped her sister would survive.
“My sister always told me that it’s very important for a woman to have her own money, strength and not be dependent on anyone else,” she said.
Cheptegei suffered burns to 80% of his body. When he was admitted, his father said he could only recognise his voice. He died four days later.
For Cheptegei’s family, mourning at their home an hour from Rebecca’s, their grief is as deep as their anger.
“Everyone on this campus depends on him. I don’t know what I’m going to do now,” his mother, Agnes, cried.
