By Wallace Nderu
Research and Advocacy Advisor -Defenders Coalition
On Monday 14th Cabinet Secretary nominee for gender, Ms. Hannah Cheptumo, was before the National Assembly, Parliamentary Committee on Appointments, for vetting. During the interview, when asked to comment on the rising cases of femicide in the country, she noted, albeit misguided, that the women killed are those after money, are uneducated, not empowered and for the educated ones, they were after money. As part of the solutions to this challenge, she stated that she would ensure women are educated and empowered so as address the cases of femicide and GBV in the country.
The remarks made by the CS nominee were not only misguided, but very concerning given that the office she will occupy will be tasked among others to address the rising cases of femicide and gender-based violence to include sexual gender-based violence in the country. It was wrong on her part to make assumptions that the numerous women killed, died as misfortune of their own making. It is rather concerning that one would assume that not having an education, not being empowered are grounds to be a victim of femicide. In March this year, in the County of Wajir, a seventeen-year-old girl became a victim of femicide after refusing to be forcefully married to an old man. She could not be said to be either after money or was not empowered. In April this year, a university student was killed in her hostile room by her alleged boyfriend. She was in university, thus being educated. I would doubt that she was demanding money from the said boyfriend. In March this year, several mutilated decomposing bodies, mostly of women were found within the Kware area of Mathare. While investigations are on-going, the only mistake the victims would have made was being women.
In the year 2024 alone, according to Africa Uncensored, there were reported at least 170 cases of femicide in the country. From 2016 to December 2024, according to Africa Data Hub, there have been reported at least 930 cases of femicide. Movements such as the EndFemicideKE, and organisations to include Defenders Coalition among others, are making deliberate efforts to comprehensively address and finding a permanent solution to ending femicide in the country. During the Ni Mama Forum, a collective that brings together women human rights defenders from across the country, focused on addressing femicide and ways to combat it. Through their interactions, a memorandum was drafted and submitted to the Task Force on GBV and Femicide. We have witnessed matches that not only brought human rights defenders together, but the nation at large condemning the heinous killing of women and girls while calling for among others legal reforms to include criminalisation of femicide.
There does not exist any reason that would justify the killing of women and girls regardless of our beliefs, ideologies, religious inclinations or cultural biases. Women and girls in our society need to feel safe with communities. One cannot then try and justify when some women have been killed, in some of the most brutal and barbaric ways. There is a need for Cabinet Secretary for Gender, even as she assumes her position, make a deliberate effort to appreciate the current and emerging gender issues, holistically, within the country. It will be through her office that women and those who champion for women’s rights will utilise in a quest to address pressing gender issues within our country. Where such sentiments are made, and especially in public, the same enhances victim blaming and empowering the perpetrator, the same needs to condemned in totality.
The Article was first published in the Star Newspaper on May 23rd 2025