Women leaders want gender desk at police stations revived over Kware deaths

A section of women leaders has called for the revival of the gender desk at police stations following the recovery of decomposed bodies of women in Nairobi's Pipeline Estate.

Addressing the media at the City Mortuary on Monday, the leaders, led by Governors Cecily Mbarire (Embu) and Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), noted that the initiative, initially established after the passage of the Sexual Offences Act, aims to provide specialised support for gender-based violence victims.

"When you have reports of about 10 women disappearing from different families in one month, and maybe another five or six, then you start to see a particular trend and you need to act on it," Mbarire said.

Gender desks were rolled out in 2004 to receive and investigate cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

They were meant to eliminate the fear and shame that come with the abuse and, in the long term, encourage society to report such cases either as a victim or as a witness. However, with time, they have become inactive.

On the other hand, the Sexual Offences Act was enacted in 2007 to make provisions about sexual offences, their definition, prevention, and the protection of all persons from harm from unlawful sexual acts.

By reviving the desks, Governor Mbarire vowed that the women leaders would ensure they work closely with the Ministry of Gender.

"By doing so, the officers attached to those desks will be well-trained, get the necessary budgetary support, and have a system for collecting daily data at police stations. This way, we can have accurate information on gender-based violence," she stated.

The leaders, however, highlighted that addressing gender-based violence is not solely a women's issue but affects men as well. They stressed the importance of viewing crime from a gender perspective to identify its roots and effectively tackle it.

"Gender is not just about women but also men. We should be able to look at crime through a gender lens to identify where it is coming from. As women leaders, we are going to push for that to happen very soon," Mbarire added.

DCI Director Mohamed Amin addresses the press at Jogoo House, Nairobi, on July 14, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki/EV

Also, the leaders committed to advocating for funding to support these initiatives in the upcoming supplementary budget discussions in Parliament. They emphasised the need for resources to combat femicide and other gender-related crimes, ensuring these issues receive the attention and support they require.

"We will push for the necessary budgetary allocations when the supplementary budget comes to the House. We need to deal with femicide and other gender-related crimes so that they can stop. We believe that this will be the way forward," Mbarire underlined. 

Additionally, the leaders called for a thorough investigation into the recent bodies recovered at a quarry near Kware Police Station to determine whether they were carried out by a single suspect or a group.

They expressed their condolences to the families affected by these tragic events, stressing the need for emotional, psychological, and economic support for the victims' families.

The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) further called on the government to take immediate action by increasing patrols, improving surveillance, and ensuring the safety of all communities, especially those in high-risk areas, following the gruesome discovery of mutilated bodies in the abandoned quarry in Mukuru kwa Njenga slums, Nairobi. 

They noted that the safety of all citizens must be a top priority, and this tragic incident highlights the need for strengthened security measures in vulnerable areas The association also demanded immediate and thorough investigations to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"It is critical that those entrusted with our safety and security be held accountable for failing to prevent such horrific crimes," reads the statement, which also appreciated the swift response by the Embakasi Division Police and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). 

"It is only through collective effort that we can identify and bring those responsible for these heinous crimes to justice," it added. 

KEWOPA also urged the government and relevant authorities to provide support and counselling services to the victim's families. 

The reactions came after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations confirmed the arrest of the main suspect behind the killing of several women. The bodies, which were mutilated and dismembered, were found wrapped in plastic bags and disposed of in a rubbish tip last week on Friday and over the weekend.

DCI boss Mohamed Amin confirmed the 33-year-old male suspect was arrested in Nairobi's Soweto area, outside a club, at around 3 am in a joint operation by the directorate and the National Police Service.

Amin said the suspect confessed to having killed the woman between 2022 and July 11, 2024, with his first victim being his wife.

A volunteer retrieves the body of an unknown person from a dumpsite in the Kware estate of Embakasi, Nairobi, July 12, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi)