Save women from killings
Three months to November 12, 2024, Kenya had registered at least 97 cases of femicide in the year, leading to public outcry.
Kenya is dealing with a nightmarish wave of femicides, with 2024 being emerging as the bloodiest year for women. The report Silencing Women records 170 femicides in the previous one year. Notably, the majority of victims were women aged 18-35 years, with intimate partner violence being the primary cause of death.
The report emphasises the magnitude of the crisis further with evidence gleaned from the Africa Data Hub, which indicates over 500 femicides since 2016. Staggeringly, 80 per cent of the murders occurred in the victim’s home, and in 85 per cent of the cases, the murderers were committed by people known to the victim, often intimate partners or family members.
The Kenyan government has begun responding with a number of initiatives. President William Ruto has appointed a task force chaired by former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza to investigate femicide and offer workable solutions. A specialised police unit to address the recent increase in gender-based violence has also been put in place.
However, challenges remain. Conviction rates for femicides are low, and judicial processes last four years per case. Nevertheless, convictions were up 118 per cent in 2024 compared with the previous year, with an increased average sentence of 23 years.
Tackling femicide in Kenya needs an integrated approach. Major steps include ensuring adequate legal frameworks are in place, having courts expedite court processes, and conducting education and awareness programmes. Additionally, we must challenge and change societal attitudes that promote gender-based violence.
The safety and dignity of women are non-negotiable. Kenyans must work against this crisis as a nation and prevent the terrible killings of women.
Mr Ngotiek (ngotiekphilip@gmail.com) and Ms Afandi (afandileticia4@gmail.com) are sexual and reproductive health and youth advocates at Naya Kenya.