In an unprecedented show of solidarity, thousands of protestors participated in anti-femicide demonstrations across Nairobi, marking the largest event ever held in Kenya against sexual and gender-based violence. These activists from cities and towns across the nation are calling upon the government to take strong action in the wake of a series of murders of women this January. The scope of the demonstration was unparalleled, as revealed by local news reports.
In this earnest plea for justice and safety, marchers carried powerful signs with hastags #StopKillingUs #EndFemicideKe #TotalShutDownKe and WeJustWantToLive. Many signs bore the names of women that the nation has recently lost to gender-based violence. Accounts from the ground were posted on the WomenCo_KE Twitter page.
The protest was, in large part, triggered by the increasing number of violent acts against women. According to Amnesty International Kenya, over ten women have lost their lives to femicide since the year began. This distressing frequency implies an incident of female slaughter every second day, the organization reported.
In the wake of recent horrific murders of Kenyan women, Starlet Wahu and Rita Waeni, the issue has received considerable public attention. The brutal acts involved have sparked outrage and a call for immediate and substantive action on this front.
The gravity of the situation becomes heartbreakingly clear when we consider that Femicide Count Kenya recorded 152 known femicides in 2023 alone. This is the highest recording in five years, and the majority of the acts were, horrifyingly, committed by men known to the victims. This information was shared by Femicide Count Kenya themselves, via their official website.
Even more daunting statistics can be found on Africa Data Hub’s Femicide database. This data reveals that more than 500 cases of women being killed by their partners were recorded in Kenya between January 2016 to December 2023. The findings suggest that the observed tragedies represent a much deeper and systemic issue, indicative of disturbing recurring patterns.
In response to the rising number of cases, activists and human rights groups are pleading for effective government policies and implementation. A media statement released by Human Rights Watch called for the government of Kenya to address femicide as a national crisis. The statement highlighted the obligations of the government under national and international law to prevent and address violence against women. The full statement can be found on the organization’s Twitter page.
In addition, President of the Law Society of Kenya, Eric Theuri, voiced his concerns about the slow processing of gender-based violence cases in court. He pointed to the shortage of judges and magistrates as a contributing factor to the increasing crimes against women. His report from the protest was covered by Al Jazeera.
The rising incidence of intimate partner violence has ushered a response from the State House, the residence of President William Samoei Ruto. The President’s Advisor on Women’s Rights, Harriette Chiggai, condemned the ongoing violence against women. Expressing concerns about the societal decay that allows and perpetuates such violence, she took to Twitter to voice her stance.