Komesha Dhuluma: The bold new war on femicide
The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association, led by chairperson Leah Sopiato Sankaire (centre), addresses the media at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on January 16, 2025. They launched a campaign dubbed Komesha Dhuluma to combat femicide and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV).
What you need to know:
- Women MPs have launched an unprecedented campaign called "Komesha Dhuluma" to combat escalating gender-based violence.
- All 102 women MPs will take the initiative directly to their constituencies.
- With Sh100 million in government funding, the campaign aims to reach more than 10 million Kenyans while working alongside women's rights organisations, the Judiciary, and law enforcement agencies to support survivors and ensure justice.
The haunting headlines have become all too familiar: another woman killed, another life cut short by gender-based violence. In Kenya, hardly a week passed last year without news of a woman falling victim to violence at the hands of an intimate partner. As public outcry grew louder, calls for action echoed across the nation.
Now, women parliamentarians are stepping up to answer that call. Through an initiative dubbed "Komesha Dhuluma" (Stop violence), they have launched what promises to be one of the most comprehensive efforts yet to combat gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide at the grassroots level.
Leah reveals that every woman MP will spearhead the movement by taking the campaign directly to their communities at the constituency level. “Each female MP will localise the initiative through community sensitisation and engagement forums tailored to the unique needs of their constituencies to relay key messages on gender-based violence and femicide.”
She cites mentorship and intergenerational dialogues with communities, and use of activism to relay key messages as some of the activities they plan to carry out. The government has committed Sh100 million to the campaign, which is designed to raise awareness, amplify survivors’ voices, influence policy change, and foster a culture of respect and equality through change in social and cultural norms.
All 102 Kewopa legislators are taking the campaign directly to their communities. They are working with key strategic stakeholders, including women’s rights organisations, the Judiciary, and law enforcement agencies to enable survivors to receive support and justice. Through such efforts, they aim to directly engage over 100,000 women and men, youth and persons with disabilities and reach over 10 million Kenyans through a robust media campaign.
Likoni MP Mishi Mboko lauded efforts by President William Ruto to support women lawmakers to lead the campaign. “We will now work hand in hand with all leaders to engage our men in the villages as the financial support will help us localise the initiative through community sensitisation barazas.”
Spearheaded by the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (Kewopa), the campaign represents a unified national movement that aims to reach deep into communities where the violence often begins. At its helm is Kewopa chairperson Leah Sankaire, the woman representative from Kajiado, who envisions a coordinated approach to addressing the alarming statistics while providing crucial support to victims and survivors.
"Each female MP will localise the initiative through community sensitisation and engagement forums tailored to the unique needs of their constituencies," Sankaire explains, outlining how all 102 Kewopa legislators will take the campaign directly to their communities. Their strategy includes mentorship programs, intergenerational dialogues, and targeted activism to convey key messages about GBV and femicide.
The government has thrown its weight behind the initiative, committing Sh100 million to the campaign. This funding will support efforts to raise awareness, amplify survivors' voices, influence policy change, and foster a culture of respect and equality by addressing deeply rooted social and cultural norms.
The campaign's reach is ambitious: working alongside women's rights organisations, the Judiciary, and law enforcement agencies, the parliamentarians aim to directly engage more than 100,000 Kenyans, including women, men, youth, and persons with disabilities. Through a robust media campaign, they expect to reach more than 10 million citizens.
Likoni MP Mishi Mboko commends President William Ruto's support for women lawmakers leading the campaign.
"We will now work hand in hand with all leaders to engage our men in the villages," she says, noting how the financial support will enable localized community sensitization through traditional barazas (community meetings).
The urgency of this initiative is underscored by troubling statistics. In the past three months alone, police data shows more than 97 femicide cases. The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey revealed an even more disturbing pattern: 40 percent of women had experienced physical or sexual violence from their partners at least once in their lifetime.
The Centre for Rights Education and Awareness reports that in 2022, over 3,762 GBV cases were reported, with women accounting for 2,985 of the victims.
At the Nairobi Women's Hospital, the scale of the crisis becomes even more apparent. CEO Dr Sam Thenya reveals that their gender violence recovery centres handle an average of 4,000 GBV cases monthly.
"This isn't just a government issue – it's a societal crisis," Dr Thenya emphasises.
The gravity of the situation is further illuminated by a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report, which documented 725 femicide cases in 2024 – translating to 2.66 deaths per 100,000 women. Even more chilling is the revelation that 75 percent of these killings were committed by someone known to the victims: an intimate partner, relative, or friend.
The Komesha Dhuluma campaign launches alongside President Ruto's recent appointment of a specialised taskforce. Through a special Gazette notice on January 10, former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza was appointed to lead a 34-member team tasked with investigating the surge in GBV and femicide. The taskforce, which includes Dr Thenya and other prominent figures like Mohammed Washala, Ruth Aura, and Linah Kilimo, has 90 days to assess and recommend measures to strengthen policies and structures aimed at eliminating GBV and femicide cases.
In the Gazette notice, President Ruto acknowledged the devastating impact of GBV on individuals and families, noting that "such egregious violations pose a threat to our national security, as well as strain the nation's social fabric." The taskforce will review case reports, gather public submissions, and collaborate with national government administration officers to fulfil its mandate.
Working under Deputy President Kithure Kindiki through the Gender Principal Secretary, the team faces the challenge of addressing what has become a national emergency. As they begin their work, the hope is that their recommendations, combined with the grassroots efforts of the Komesha Dhuluma campaign, will finally turn the tide against the violence that has claimed too many lives for too long.
