From left: Vivian Kajaya, Eileen Cherotich, Seth Nyakio and Rita Waeni.
This year has seen a femicide crisis in the country, with regular media coverage of cases.
An analysis of media reports between January and November 25 shows significant disparities in the prevalence of female murders across counties.
Counties with most cases
The counties that remained the most unsafe for women were Nairobi with 30 cases, followed by Nakuru with 17 cases, Kiambu with 11 cases and Kakamega, Kirinyaga and Meru with eight cases each.
High population density and greater media coverage in these areas could be the reason why more cases were reported in these counties.
Some of the cases highlighted in the media include that of Rita Waeni, who was found in an apartment in Roysambu; Starlet Wahu, who was killed in South B; and Nuseiba Dahir, Amina Abdirashid and Waris Daud, who were killed in Eastleigh at the end of October.
In Kiambu, Seth Nyakio, a daughter of Kirinyaga MCA Lucy Njeri, was found dead in a friend's home in Thika, while Grace Wangari, 24, was killed by her boyfriend following a domestic dispute in Githurai in January.
While there are no up-to-date statistics on how many women were killed in 2024, most cases were reported in urban areas.
Counties with moderate cases
Bomet, Homa Bay and Nyamira had seven cases each, while Kisumu and Nyeri had six cases each. Kisii, Kwale and Machakos had five cases each, while Siaya recorded four cases.
Counties with the fewest cases
Several counties reported three cases such as Kericho, Kilifi, Kitui, Narok and Trans Nzoia. Two homicides each were reported in Baringo, Bungoma, Embu, Kajiado and Nyandarua.
Only one was reported in Busia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Isiolo, Laikipia, Makueni, Migori, Mombasa, Muranga, Nandi, Tharaka Nithi, Turkana, Wajir and West Pokot counties.
Although these figures appear low, they highlight the need for greater focus in such areas, as murders in remote areas may go unreported.
Greater police presence in urban areas resulted in more cases being reported, investigated and solved than in rural areas where resources may be more limited.
Some counties had no reported cases, such as Garissa, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Taita Taveta, Tana River, Uasin Gishu and Vihiga.
It is important to note, however, that the reliance on media reports for this data does not allow us to know the true extent of killings in each county.
Some counties, particularly those in Northern Kenya, have uneven news coverage or cases go unreported, meaning that it remains a challenge to know which counties have the highest female murder rates in the country.
