Protest erupts in Nairobi against rise in femicide cases

Several hundred people march in Nairobi to protest against femicide in Kenya

In response to the shocking surge in femicide cases, several hundred demonstrators flooded the streets of Nairobi on Saturday, demanding urgent action to address the escalating violence against women.

The protesters, brandishing placards bearing messages such as “Being a woman should not be a death sentence” and “Patriarchy kills,” made their way towards parliament, causing a standstill in Nairobi’s central business district.

The recent wave of femicide in Kenya has left at least 16 women dead this year, prompting national outrage. One high-profile case involved the brutal murder of a 26-year-old woman on January 4 in a short-term rental apartment. Police identified the perpetrator as a member of an extortionist gang targeting women through dating sites.

Just weeks later, a 20-year-old woman was tragically strangled, dismembered, and her remains concealed in a plastic bag, sending shockwaves across the nation. Two suspects are currently in police custody in connection with the latter case but are yet to be formally charged.

The government, acknowledging the rise in violence against women, described the situation as “rising,” with human rights organizations, including Amnesty International’s Kenya chapter, condemning femicide as the “most brutal manifestation of gender-based violence.”

At the forefront of Saturday’s protest, Terry Wangare, a 32-year-old communications officer, expressed frustration, stating, “Nobody cares. If you complain, you are bad.” Faith Claire Wanjiru, a 23-year-old student attending her first protest, voiced her anger and determination to combat the violence, asserting, “Taking someone’s life should not be anyone’s work.”

Organizers reported simultaneous marches in 10 other regions, underscoring the widespread concern over the issue. The lakeside city of Kisumu and the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa were among the locations where solidarity marches took place.

A government report released last year revealed that more than 30 percent of women in Kenya experience physical violence, with 13 percent facing some form of sexual violence. However, human rights watchdogs argue that these figures likely represent only a fraction of the actual cases.

The non-profit Femicide Count documented at least 152 femicide cases in Kenya last year, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention. In 2022, a staggering 725 women and girls were reported murdered in the East African country, according to a report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. As the nation grapples with this alarming trend, activists at the forefront of the protest call for expedited investigations and prosecution of perpetrators to curb the rising tide of femicide.

Source:  Newsroom