Kenyan advocacy groups unite against femicide epidemic, call for national action

The organisations have  issued a call to action for Kenyan women, allies, civil society organisations, and government leaders to attend a peaceful march on January 27, 2024, at Jeevanjee Gardens, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The joint statement, which was released on Tuesday via social media, strongly condemns the disturbing trend of gruesome murders targeting women in the country. 

The organisations express deep concern about the normalisation of femicide cases and the degradation of women's lives, calling for an end to the dehumanisation that pervades society.

"We are tired of the tragically normalised occurrences of femicide and the pervasive victim-blaming rhetoric that plagues our society," the statement reads.

Usikimye revealed ongoing collaboration with feminists in the Kisumu and Mombasa regions to organise similar marches, amplifying the call for justice and gender equality.

The impetus for this protest stems from three cases of femicide in less than two weeks. The most recent incident involved the discovery of a middle-aged woman's naked body dumped in the Gwa-Kairu area of Juja, Kiambu County on Wednesday.

In another heinous case, the dismembered body of 20-year-old university student Rita Waeni was discovered in a residential flat in Nairobi's Roysambu neighbourhood last Sunday. Detectives are still looking for Ms. Muendo's head, as well as her personal belongings, which include clothes and a mobile phone.

Using the hashtag "ShutdownKenya- Again," Usikimye is using social media to rally support and draw attention to the critical need for collective action. 

This is not the first time the organisation has mobilised; in 2019, they held a similar march to address the growing cases of femicide and intimate partner violence in Kenya, which was attended by Nairobi County Woman Representative Esther Passaris.

The Centre for Rights, Education, and Awareness (CREAW) issued a press release on Wednesday, urging Kenya's government to take immediate and decisive action against the perpetrators of recent femicide cases.

"CREAW calls on the Kenyan government to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of femicide cases. We demand swift and decisive action in bringing the perpetrators to justice, sending a strong message that violence against women will not be tolerated," the statement reads.

The organisation also emphasised the critical need to combat the normalisation of violence against Kenyan women and girls, emphasising the importance of building a safer and more equitable society.