President Ruto directs swift action on femicide cases, calls for enhanced support systems

President William Ruto has directed criminal justice actors to act swiftly in holding perpetrators of femicide fully accountable.

Addressing the media on Wednesday after a meeting with women leaders to discuss the troubling rise in femicide cases, Ruto noted the urgency of protecting the lives and dignity of women and girls in Kenya.

"This challenge requires the combined efforts of government, religious leaders, parents, teachers, civil society, and all citizens of goodwill," he said, calling for immediate action across various sectors.

The President painted a grim picture, highlighting the disturbing reality that four out of five women died at the hands of their intimate partners.

"We know that every four out of five women killed in Kenya is out of intimate partner violence, which means our women are being killed in places they consider safe," Ruto said.

The President went ahead and expressed his condolences to the families affected by femicide and commended the women leaders for their commitment to addressing the issue.

As part of efforts to curb this violence, President Ruto also ordered enhanced gender desks in police stations and the introduction of similar services in hospitals.

"Gender desks in police stations must be enhanced, and we will introduce similar gender desk services in hospitals to ensure victims receive immediate attention and care," he directed.

The initiative aims to ensure that survivors have immediate access to support services and care.

The President also called for increased awareness to equip young people with the skills needed to navigate societal risks, especially in the digital age.

"Social media has become a dangerous avenue for exploitation, and I urge our young people to treat strangers on these platforms with utmost caution," he warned.

He called on parents, schools, churches, and community organisations to step up efforts in providing life skills counselling to the youth.

Furthermore, the President urged religious leaders to use their platforms to promote positive messages about women's rights, leadership, and engagement.

"We urge religious leaders too to use their platforms to speak positively about women, women leadership, women engagement and help congregations understand that women's rights are also human rights," Ruto said.

In addition, Ruto reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring that the structures set up to support survivors do not re-victimise them.

The Government of Kenya is committed to ensuring that the structures that respond and support survivors do not re-victimise them," he noted.

Addressing the need for safe spaces for women and children, the President reiterated that it remains a top priority in his office.

His remarks come amid growing concerns over femicide in the country, with increasing calls for the government and society at large to take action against gender-based violence.

Already, a petition has been submitted to the Kenyan Parliament, urging lawmakers to compel President Ruto to declare femicide and gender-based violence (GBV) a national disaster.

The petition, filed by Kenya University Student Association's President Antony Manyara highlighted the urgency of addressing the crisis.

It cited Article 119 of the Constitution, which allows every Kenyan citizen the right to petition Parliament to act on matters of public concern.

"The National Assembly should swiftly and expeditiously address the surging cases of femicide and gender-based violence in Kenya in accordance with Article 119," read the petition.

Parliament has been urged to act decisively, stating that the declaration of a national disaster would underscore the gravity of the crisis and facilitate resource mobilization to combat the issue.