Kenya grapples with alarming surge in GBV, femicide after 100 women murdered in four months
By Maureen Kinyanjui |
A total of 7,107 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) were reported since September 2023.
Kenya is grappling with an alarming surge in gender-based violence (GBV), with a reported 7,107 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) since September 2023.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi announced that the country has also witnessed a grim rise in femicide, with 100 women murdered between August and November 2024.
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Mudavadi stressed the critical need to address the rising cases of femicide, which he called "the elephant in the room" in the security sector.
"The worrying trend of emerging cases of femicide has brought to the fore the ongoing violations of the rights of women in our country," he said.
As reported, Nairobi County recorded the highest number of SGBV cases, while Samburu and Mandera counties reported the lowest.
Despite the rising statistics, Mudavadi noted that investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have been completed for many of these cases, though the majority are still pending in court.
Mudavadi's remarks came as the government is taking urgent action to combat femicide.
Ruto directive
Earlier this week, President William Ruto directed the formation of a Presidential Working Group on Femicide, which will be gazetted soon.
The newly formed team is tasked with delivering actionable proposals to address the issue within 90 days.
Mudavadi stressed the importance of structured, evidence-based solutions.
"The team is expected to deliver actionable proposals and address femicide issues within 90 days of its creation," he said.
The growing number of femicide cases has become a national security concern, and the government is under increasing pressure to take decisive steps to protect women and ensure justice.
President Ruto in November, directed criminal justice actors to act swiftly in holding perpetrators of femicide fully accountable.
The President 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 had painted a grim picture, highlighting the disturbing reality that four out of five women killed in Kenya lose their lives due to intimate partner violence, often in places they consider safe.
"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.
In October, Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat disclosed that in the last three months alone, the police recorded 97 cases of femicide reported in various parts of the country.
He, however, stated that they made progress in ensuring they concluded probes into these cases.
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