KENYA: Surging Femicide Cases Spark Outrage in Kenya

Elizabeth Asasha

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) continue to amplify their voices in a despairing plea for action from security agencies amidst a surging chilling wave of femicide cases sweeping across Kenya.

The Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya) have condemned the alarming increase in femicide cases, expressing deep concern about the brutal killings and vehemently berating the victim-blaming witnessed among netizens.

Christine Kungu, the vice chairperson of FIDA-Kenya, described Starlet Wahu Mwangi’s murder, the first in a string of cold-blooded female killings reported since the year began, as a case of Violence Against Women (VAW) in the form of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).

The recent spate of murders that target young women has also intensified calls for urgent government intervention, with some activists faulting authorities for doing little to address the inhumane acts.

“This is a national crisis – we are not doing enough as a country to protect women,” stated Audrey Mugeni, co-founder of Femicide Count Kenya, an NGO that keeps tabs and documents the number of women slain nationwide each year.

Kungu urged the government to guarantee the safety of women and girls, emphasizing the need for criminal justice actors to prioritize the rights of the victims’ families throughout legal proceedings.

Activists have drawn public attention to a deeper societal issue that stretches beyond cognitive factors, calling for a collective effort of state and non-state actors to address the root causes of this inhumane trend. In light of this, Christine Kungu stressed the multifaceted effects of femicide on women and girls, noting its psychological, emotional, physical, economic, and social toll.

The surge in femicide cases has also brought to fore Kenya’s “manosphere,” a shadowy alley of social media where victim-blaming comments abound, perpetuating harmful stereotypes; and toxic chauvinistic arguments that exacerbate the crisis.

The hashtag “STOP KILLING WOMEN” has been trending on Kenyan social media platforms spotlighting the gravity of the misogynistic gender-based killings, with public outrage expressing horror and heartbreak sentiments.

Amidst the femicide turmoil, the Nigeria High Commission in Kenya has refuted claims linking Nigerian citizens to these heinous crimes. In a memo dated January 17, the consulate expressed concern over online misinformation targeting Nigerian nationals and urged them to remain calm as Kenyan authorities carry on investigations. This came following the detention of a Nigerian national as the main suspect in the Roysambu macabre murder.

Kenyan socialite Starlet Wahu Mwangi, 26, was brutally killed in Nairobi’s South B neighborhood on Thursday morning, January 4. Five days later, on Tuesday, January 9, a first-year student at Machakos University named Harriet Moraa Nyaboga was discovered murdered in Machakos County with stab wounds.

The country has since continued to witness horrific killings of young women, with some detractors alluding to a possible domino effect from the reports.

On Saturday, January 13, the nation awoke to the sight of grisly remains of 20-year-old Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) student, Rita Waeni Muendo who was killed in Roysambu before her body was dismembered and stashed in a plastic bag.

This week, three women were found murdered: unidentified middle-aged woman killed on Wednesday 17 in Juja, Kiambu County61-year-old Elizabeth Yegon, who was discovered dead inside her home in Monkokwo village in Besiobei sub-location, Bomet County; and 25-year-old Christine Auma, who was beheaded by unknown assailants in her home in Boya village, Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County, while preparing supper for her husband and children.

A recent national survey revealed that 34% of women experienced physical violence in 2022, while the past two weeks saw the brutal murders of at least six women across different parts of the country.

FIDA-Kenya also called for strengthened regulatory mechanisms for Airbnbs, where some of the reported murder incidents occurred.

Femicide Count Kenya recorded 152 killings last year, the highest in the past five years, with women and human rights activists mentioning, en passant, that the number could be much higher if the many unreported cases are factored in.

Women groups have disclosed plans to stage nationwide demonstrations in protest against the recent surge in femicide cases, with a section of women in Nyeri county setting precedence with peaceful demonstrations held in Nyeri on Thursday, January 18, 2024.

Meanwhile, Gender and Human Rights groups continue to issue safety alerts and precautionary measures for women as credible sources hint at continued nationwide protests, mounting pressure on government security agencies to address the horrific trend.

As the nation waits for decisive action, the haunting public question remains: How many more women will fall victim to these bloodthirsty devils incarnate masquerading as gentlemen?