Kenya Unites Against Femicide Epidemic

Peaceful protests against the increasing number of femicide cases in Kenya were held in 10 counties on Saturday.

Leaders, feminists, and activists joined forces to demand action and put an end to these killings. The protests took place in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Homa Bay, Turkana, Kilifi, Machakos, and Kisii. The motivation behind these demonstrations was the murder of 16 women in just one month, with most of them being killed by their intimate partners. In Nairobi, thousands of women participated in a march against femicide.

Led by organizations working to combat sexual and gender-based violence, activists called for the protection of women's lives and safety. They expressed their frustration by blocking roads and holding signs, urging authorities to take a stance against these killings. During the protest, Nairobi's women's representative, Esther Passaris, faced criticism from the crowd. However, she remained resolute and called for a review of laws that allow gender-based sexual offences to be non-bailable.

This, she argued, would ensure that offenders face consequences for their actions. "If the evidence is clear, it is unacceptable for perpetrators to be granted bail," expressed Ms Passaris.

Garissa County women's representative Amina Siyad raised concerns about the absence of First Lady Rachel Ruto during a time when women are being killed. In Mombasa, the groups marched from Mapembeni to Tonononoka grounds, urgently calling for an end to femicide. Before the march, activists emphasized the need for the government to establish effective laws and policies to prevent the killing of women.

Maureen Magaga from Lend a Voice Africa highlighted the increasing lack of safety for women in Kenya and urged the government to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat femicide. In Eldoret, a group of men participating in the national anti-femicide protest condemned the violence against women who failed to show up for arranged dates. Commercial sex workers from Eldoret, who joined the protest, expressed their grief over the loss of their colleagues to femicide on multiple occasions.

In Lodwar, hundreds of residents took to the streets to march against the alarming surge in femicide cases in the country. They held placards conveying various messages, including: "Being a woman should not result in a death sentence!"

"Do you not value our existence? Put an end to femicide and acknowledge the importance of our lives."