Dickson Ndiema, the ex-lover of the late Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, has died at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, Kenya. Ndiema succumbed to the injuries he sustained after an incident in which he doused Cheptegei with petrol and set her on fire. He had suffered burns covering 30 percent of his body and had been receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Ndiema, who was himself involved in sports, passed away on Monday night, as confirmed by hospital sources. His death comes just days after Cheptegei, a former Olympian, died from burns covering 80 percent of her body. The attack, reportedly triggered by a dispute over a piece of land in Chepkum Village, Trans Nzoia County, had left both victims hospitalised in critical condition.

The tragedy has raised serious concerns about gender-based violence (GBV) in the region. The United Nations (UN) condemned the manner of Cheptegei’s death and called for urgent action to address GBV cases worldwide. “Every 11 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member somewhere in the world. This must stop,” said Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, in a statement on September 6.

According to official reports, the attack occurred on a Sunday after Cheptegei returned from church with her two daughters. Ndiema allegedly attacked her after a heated argument over the contested land, which had been the source of ongoing tension between them. Local authorities corroborated these accounts, revealing that the couple’s dispute had been escalating for some time.

Cheptegei, who competed at the 2024 Olympics, will be laid to rest on September 14 in her hometown in Bukwa District, Uganda. The country plans to honour her with a heroine’s sendoff, recognising her contributions to athletics and her Olympic career. In a show of international solidarity, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, announced plans to name a sports venue after Cheptegei in her memory.

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The tragic deaths of both Cheptegei and Ndiema have sparked renewed calls for stronger measures to combat GBV as communities in Kenya and Uganda mourn their loss.