Police Officers in Kericho County have arrested a man suspected of defiling and killing a two-year-old girl from Kipkelion East Sub-County last week sparking rage among villagers who staged peaceful protests in Kericho town.
The irate protestors led by Kericho Woman Representative Beatrice Kemei who carried placards and chanted slogans while marching along the streets demanded justice for the minor who was defiled and left for lying dead.
Kemei narrated how baby Tamara was stolen and raped, strangled, and discarded into river Kipchorian one week ago.
“This heinous act of violence is not just an assault on one child but on the very fabric of our humanity and we will not remain silent in the face of such evil. We must stand up and speak against these barbaric crimes. The perpetrators of this monstrous act must be brought to justice swiftly and with no compromise,” said Kemei
She called for the protection of every child adding that such atrocities should not be allowed to continue in society.
Meanwhile, the Kericho county Commissioner, Mr. Gilbert Kitiyo who addressed the irate protestors, said that the suspect who had been at large since he committed the vice has now been apprehended and awaits being arraigned in court.
The County Commissioner disclosed that cases of defilement, early marriages, and cases of underage children pregnancies were on the rise but assured the residents that the culprits would face the full force of the law.
“High school girls between the ages of 12 to 18 are the greatest victims of defilement in the county and reports indicate that some suspected bodaboda riders are mainly the culprits,” said Mr. Kitiyo
The County Commissioner said Kenya is committed to ending the Triple threat that includes New HIV infections, Adolescent pregnancies, and Sexual and Gender-based Violence by the year 2030.
The National AIDS Control Council (NACC) and National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) have partnered with National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), other government entities, and implementing partners to develop and implement strategies for eliminating the triple threat.
According to the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) Sexual and gender-based violence refers to any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and is based on gender, norms, and unequal power relationships.
By Kibe Mburu
