Ugandan athlete Cheptegei to be moved to Nairobi for specialised care

The government of Kenya has taken over the treatment of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who is currently admitted at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, after been doused in petrol and burnt on Sunday. 

Sports Principal Secretary, Peter Tum, said there are plans to airlift the marathon runner for specialised treatment in Nairobi.

Tum revealed that they have been in contact with Uganda Sports Minister, Peter Ogwang, and are working together to make sure the athlete gets the right treatment.

“There are efforts to make sure the athlete admitted in Eldoret is airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment after the unfortunate incident in Trans Nzoia County on Sunday. Both governments are now in charge of the case and we want to make sure that she is given the right medication even as we discuss how to progress further,” said Tum on Wednesday during the launch of the Nairobi City Marathon.

He added that security organs in Uganda and Kenya are working on the case to make sure the athlete gets justice.

Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei condemned the incident.

“The incident that happened to our athlete from Uganda is really unfortunate and sad because you can’t harm somebody due to disagreements about property, especially from a partner. As a federation, we condemn this in the strongest terms possible because that is not how we are supposed to live,” said Tuwei, who is also the World Athletics Vice President.

Tuwei also said that they have been in contact with the Uganda Athletics Federation. Doctors have described  Cheptegei’s condition as critical, but stable after she sustained 80 per cent burns in an alleged domestic attack involving her partner.

She was referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret for specialised treatment on Monday from Kitale County Referral Hospital in Trans Nzoia County where she had been admitted on Sunday after her partner Dickson Marangach alleged doused her with petrol before setting her on fire.

Marangach also sustained 30 per cent burns from the incident and is under treatment in the same hospital. She represented Uganda in the Paris Olympic Games finishing 44^th in the women’s marathon.