'I can't sleep': What an athlete’s murder tells us about women’s safety in Kenya

In Kenya, the tragic murder of Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei has sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for action against violence towards women. Rebecca, a 33-year-old Ugandan athlete, was brutally killed by her former partner, who set her on fire at her home in Trans Nzoia county. This horrific incident is not an isolated case; it highlights a disturbing trend of femicide in Kenya, where violence against women is alarmingly high. Reports indicate that in January alone, over ten women lost their lives to gender-based violence. Jane, a survivor of domestic abuse, shared her harrowing experience with the BBC. She has been living in hiding for most of the year due to life-threatening injuries inflicted by her ex-partner during a violent stabbing. 'His intention was to kill me. He stabbed me and left me for dead. Were it not for the neighbours, I would be dead,' Jane recounted. She endured years of escalating abuse before finally leaving, stating that her breaking point was when her ex-partner began to threaten their children. 'It was hell living with him. I don’t know how I persevered for those many years,' she added. Even now, Jane lives in constant fear, as her estranged husband continues to harass her. 'I live in fear. He says he wants to finish me off. I can’t sleep at night. I’m now on medication to help with my mental health. I'm not the perpetrator but I’m living like I'm in jail. ' The murder of Rebecca Cheptegei has ignited a firestorm of anger and demands for change in Kenya. A report suggested that 38% of women aged 15 to 49 in Kenya have experienced violence from an intimate partner. Organizations that support survivors of gender-based violence have reported a steady increase in cases over the years. Njeri Migwi, the head of Usikimye, a support group for survivors, stated, 'On average, we receive up to 50 calls and sometimes 20 walk-ins in a day. ' In 2021, former President Uhuru Kenyatta declared gender-based violence a national crisis, and a year later, a report found that 41% of married women had experienced physical violence. Between 2016 and 2023, there were over 500 reported cases of women being killed in Kenya, with 75% of these murders committed by someone known to the victim, such as a partner or family member. Sunita Caminha, a UN Women specialist, emphasized that women and girls from various backgrounds are victims of femicide in a world plagued by gender discrimination and inequality. In the latest UN report, Africa accounted for the largest share of violence against women, with 20,000 women murdered. Rebecca's mother, Agnes, described her daughter as a 'good child,' and many athletes are traumatized by her death. Joan Chelimo, a long-distance runner, expressed her distress, saying, 'I can't sleep, imagining that someone was just burnt alive. ' Joan is a co-founder of Tirop’s Angels, an organization formed after the murder of another athlete, Agnes Tirop. She revealed that Rebecca had reported the abuse she faced to the police, but 'nothing happened. ' This raises serious concerns about the accountability of perpetrators. The police have denied claims that Rebecca reported her life was in danger. While Kenya has enacted laws to combat gender-based violence, critics argue that there are few effective measures in place to address the issue. Judy Gitau, the Africa regional director for the campaign group Equality Now, stated, 'Unfortunately, governments often feel that once they have a law, that’s it - not understanding that laws don't execute themselves and they don't enforce themselves. ' Jane recounted her own experiences with the police, stating that her reports of abuse were often dismissed. 'Many times, the police say these are domestic quarrels. In fact, one policewoman I spoke to said: 'We cannot arrest him until he does something. ' I asked her: 'Do you want him to kill me? ' The next day is when he stabbed me,' Jane recalled. In 2004, police gender desks were introduced in Kenya to facilitate reporting of gender-based violence, but only half of police stations have them. In Trans Nzoia, where Rebecca lived, there are five police stations, but none have gender desks. Kennedy Apindi, the head of criminal investigations in the county, explained, 'So reporting of these cases is a problem. They are reported late, or they are unreported until you hear about them in the media and that’s when the police come into action. ' Rebecca was the third female athlete to die in Kenya allegedly at the hands of an intimate partner in the last three years. In 2021, just five weeks after breaking a world record, Agnes Tirop was found murdered in her home. Her partner was arrested but the case is still ongoing, with him out on bond and pleading not guilty. Other cases also take years to resolve. Ms. Gitau, who is part of a committee reviewing timelines for gender-based violence cases, stated, 'There must be prioritization of GBV. ' Just six months after Tirop's murder, another runner, Damaris Muthee Mutua, was found dead in her home, having been strangled. No one has been convicted for her death. Many women in East Africa face violence due to deeply rooted patriarchal beliefs that place them in subordinate roles. Ms. Gitau advocates for more safe houses for survivors, stating, 'Deep down, our attitudes, the norms that we hold as a country, still view women in a certain light. ' Joan Chelimo echoed this sentiment, noting that the financial independence of female athletes can upset traditional gender norms. 'They go against traditional gender norms. Female athletes are now becoming more independent, financially independent, and the other gender is really upset about it,' she said. The government claims to be running programs to raise awareness and review legislation to combat gender-based violence. Rachel Kamweru from Kenya's State Gender Department stated, 'We don't want this to happen to any other woman, whether an athlete, or from the village, or a young girl. We need to make sure that the gender police officers are doing their work. ' Jane expressed her hope that the government will take more action to protect women like her from their ex-partners. 'As long as he is free, I’ll never have peace,' she said.