Africa-Press – Kenya. Over the past few years, celebrated Kenyan athletes have passed away in circumstances that raised more questions than answers.
Some of the deaths have been resolved while others remain a mystery.
A number of athletes were murdered, others committed suicide, and others were caught in between gender-based violence.
“Silence no more. We do not want to see any more gender-based deaths. We must come together and work as a team to ensure that the vice is a thing of the past,” Cathrine Ndereba, a former World Record holder in the women’s marathon lamented in January 2022 while remembering the late Agnes Tirop who was reportedly killed by his husband.
Samuel Wanjiru
Wanjiru made history in 2008 when he won Kenya’s first Olympic marathon gold in record time in games held in Beijing, China.
In October 2009, Wanjiru raked millions and flew Kenya’s flag high when he won both Chicago Marathon and London Marathon.
Tragedy struck in May 2011 when the athlete died after falling from the balcony of his home in Muthaiga Estate, Nyahururu.
Wanjiru had allegedly been drinking on the night he died. He brought a woman he met at the pub home and his wife, Triza Njeri, reportedly found them in bed.
The couple quarrelled before she locked Wanjiru and the woman upstairs, leaving them with no way out.
Minutes later, he dropped from the balcony and to date, it is still not known whether he was pushed or fell.
His wife denied any wrongdoing.
Agnes Tirop
Tirop had success as both a junior – winning 5,000m bronze at world championships in 2012 and 2014 – and as a senior, winning the World Cross Country championships in 2015.
Tirop was found dead on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. According to detectives, her body had several stab wounds.
An autopsy that was conducted at the Iten County Referral Hospital (ICRH) revealed that she died as a result of the injuries incurred on the neck. In addition, she was hit on the head with a blunt object.
Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, who was on the run, was later arrested in connection with her gruesome murder.
However, the 41-year-old man pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned before the High Court in Eldoret.
Hosea Macharinyang
He won three consecutive team titles with Kenya at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Cross Country Championships from 2006 to 2008.
On October 11, 2021, Macharinyang was found dead by family members in his home which was located in Murkwijit village, West Pokot County.
While no suicide note was found, it is suspected that he committed suicide since he allegedly from mental health issues for a number of years.
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