The family of athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has altered the funeral plans due to the condition of the body, which sustained more than 80 per cent burns.
Her father, Mzee Joseph Cheptegei, says the body will be removed from the Moi Referal Hospital morgue on Friday and not Thursday as had been earlier planned.
“We have changed the plans because the body can not take two days out of the morgue before burial," said Mzee Cheptegei.
They were to remove the body tomorrow for a night vigil in Trans Nzoia, but that has been canceled. The body will be taken straight to Uganda via Endebes.
He spoke at the MTRH morgue, where a postmortem on the body of the athlete is expected to take place today.
The athlete’s parents, including Mzee Cheptegei, are already at the MTRH morgue to witness the postmortem exercise along with DCI officers from Trans Nzoia
The hospital CEO, Dr Phillip Kirwa, says he will issue a statement after the exercise.
Mzee Cheptegei said the body of the deceased will be removed from the morgue on Friday morning and taken to her home in Endebes for a short stay before being taken to Bukwo in Uganda for burial on Saturday.
From Endebes to Bukwo is about two-hour drive and Mzee Cheptegei said the body would be moved by road.
She is at the morgue along with Cheptegei’s sister Sarah Cheptegei and a cousin, Michael Arap Tumbo.
The late Cheptegei was a member of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and will be accorded a military burial
