Groups of women stormed the streets of the capital city of Nairobi on Monday, calling for the government to take action against rising cases of gender-based violence and femicide in Kenya.
The women walked the streets holding a coffin and placards with signs such as “Stop Killing Women”. They also created awareness about numerous reports of the disappearances and murders of children over the recent weeks. A demonstrator was seen holding a doll wrapped in a Kenyan flag.
Women’s rights organisations have been raising their voices against growing cases of gender-based violence in the country and have urged the government to declare it a national crisis.
Activists intensified the calls for government action after a local singer was drenched with petrol and lit on fire. She later passed away due to the injuries.
Police said they had formed a specialised investigative unit on May 23, consisting of criminal intelligence analysts, forensic experts, homicide investigators, and other specialists.
Police officials also reported that most gender-based violence cases are connected to domestic conflicts, intimate partner violence, sexual offences, assault, and unresolved family disputes.
The Federation of Women lawyers in Kenya revealed that the organisation receives around 70 gender-based violence cases each week across its offices in Nairobi, the port city of Mombasa, and the lakeside city of Kisumu.
Lobby groups issued a 40-day ultimatum to the government on May 21, pushing the administration to act or face nationwide protests.
Previous reports on gender-based violence in Kenya
The country saw similar protests across major cities in 2024, where women marched through the streets of Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa, Nyeri, and Lodwar, carrying placards with the names of those who were killed.
According to a 2022 survey, one in three Kenyan women had suffered physical violence at some point in their lives.
Amnesty International reported over 500 recorded cases of femicide in Kenya between the years 2016 and 2023.
