Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba protests suspension, backs femicide victims
Wamuchomba was suspended on Wednesday after staging a demonstration accusing Murkomen of contempt for Kware dumpsite victims, citing slow progress by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has protested her 20-day suspension from Parliament, vowing to rally Kenyans in solidarity with femicide victims and demand accountability from State institutions.
In a statement, the MP, an outspoken critic of President William Ruto’s administration, said her suspension by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula after protesting against Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s handling of femicide cases was an attempt to silence her.
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Wamuchomba was suspended on Wednesday after staging a demonstration accusing Murkomen of contempt for Kware dumpsite victims, citing slow progress by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), which has only positively identified five of the 42 victims and lost track of the prime suspect Collin Jumaisi since his escape in August 2024.
“This punitive action is viewed as an attempt to silence both Wamuchomba and the broader anti-femicide movement, which continues to demand accountability from security agencies for failing to protect Kenyan women and girls from gender-based killings,” said Wamuchomba.
She also condemned Murkomen’s dismissal of a BBC documentary exposing child trafficking in Mai Mahiu, Madams: Exposing Kenya's Child Sex Trade, saying it is a pattern of the administration's disregard for women's lives and impunity.
“Since 2016, over 930 women have been murdered in Kenya, yet only 216 perpetrators have been prosecuted. CS Murkomen’s failure to aggressively pursue the perpetrators of the Kware femicide cases not only demonstrates contempt for the victims, but also reinforces the pattern that, under the current government’s watch, perpetrators of femicide can kill women and traumatise families with impunity,” said Wamuchomba.
While reprimanding Wamuchomba, Speaker Wetang’ula ruled that she will serve the suspension, excluding recess days for contempt of the House.
“As to the case of Wamuchomba, we call it contempt in the face of the court, not just contempt of court. Under Standing Order 107(a), as read together with (i)(a) and (iii), Hon Wamuchomba shall serve a suspension from the House for 20 days, excluding recess days,” said Wetangula.
The MP, however, insisted that her protest shines a spotlight on government failures that have allowed femicide perpetrators to act with impunity.
“It’s not right for the CS to answer the question and tell us the suspect disappeared, and he is not giving us hope. Which hope is he giving the victims of Kware? What hope is he promising? Is he telling us that he is going to wait for the suspect to disappear forever?” she said.
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