MP Millie Odhiambo wants men who leak women’s private photos sentenced to life in prison

Suba North Member of Parliament Millie Odhiambo now wants men who share intimate videos and photos of women on social media to face life imprisonment.

Speaking on Thursday during a debate in Parliament, the fiery lawmaker expressed anger and disgust at an ongoing trend of women political leaders being harassed on social media after their purported private photos and videos are released to the public presumably in a bid to tarnish their reputations.

According to MP Odhiambo, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) needs to launch a probe to unmask individuals behind such acts, and bring the habit to an immediate end.

“I want to warn the men who are targeting national leaders with sex-shaming, like the one we have seen of late. We cannot be treating women like trash or rubbish,” she said.

"In this country this must stop, this nonsense must stop, and the DCI must follow those guys. I don’t care whether you’re in UDA or ODM, when it is an issue of women, my party becomes a woman; because what is done to another woman will be done to me.”

The MP hence urged the House to come up with stricter laws to punish such culprits, noting that a woman leader’s private affairs should not be brought to public limelight, at whatever cost.

“The issue of morality is a very personal issue, whether somebody decides they want to get outside their marriage, we’re all answerable to God, let that be her own issue. But what somebody has done in privacy, why are you bringing it to us in public?” She posed.

“We‘re going to amend our laws and make stricter penalties. I don't support the death penalty, but if I did, I would support the death penalty for such people. But because I don't support the death penalty, I think we need to enhance the sentence to life imprisonment for people like that.”

The legislator further lashed out at women who celebrate and participate in the downfall of their fellow women, urging them to desist from such behaviour and instead come to the defence of their gender.

“I want to tell women who are shaming and victimizing another woman, who is already a victim and you’re taking a moral high ground, shame on you,” she stated.

MP Odhiambo went on to advise people who troll others on social media with their intimate videos and photos to think before taking such disastrous actions.

“Behind that person you’re harassing, there’s a human being, you do not understand what that person is going through,” noted the legislator.

“I happen to know some of those people at a very close level, and their lives and their children’s lives have been destroyed. At least if you’re not bothered about that person, have mercy on their children.”