In recent years, the world has been rocked by tragic stories of East African athletes falling victim to domestic violence. These heartbreaking incidents have not only shaken the athletics community but also shed light on the growing crisis of gender-based violence in Kenya.

Agnes Tirop

One of the most shocking cases was that of Kenyan athlete Agnes Tirop, a record-breaking runner whose promising career was cut short in 2021. In September 2021, she shattered the women’s 10km road race world record in Germany. However, just five weeks later, the 25-year-old was found brutally stabbed in her Iten home.

Her estranged husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was accused of the murder. Tirop’s death exposed the immense personal struggles many female athletes face behind the spotlight of their athletic success. Her death was a huge loss not only for Kenya but for the global sports community.

Damaris Mutua

The tragic killing of Damaris Mutua, a Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete, occurred just months after Tirop’s murder in the same town of Iten. Mutua, who had represented Kenya in the 2010 Youth Olympics before switching allegiance to Bahrain, was found strangled in April 2022.

The 28-year-old’s Ethiopian boyfriend is suspected of the killing, though he fled the country before his arrest. Mutua was remembered as a disciplined and dedicated athlete, with a promising future that was tragically cut short. Her murder once again brought attention to the escalating violence against women in Kenya.

Rebecca Cheptegei
In September 2024, Uganda’s Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who had recently competed in the Paris Olympics, was horrifically killed by her Kenyan boyfriend.
Cheptegei, 33, succumbed to severe burns after being doused with petrol and set on fire in her home in Trans-Nzoia County.

Her tragic death sparked outrage across the athletics community and renewed calls for stronger measures against gender-based violence in East Africa.