Nakuru Governor Ms Susan Kihika has condemned rising cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and femicide and called for concerted efforts to deal with both the criminal and moral aspects of the menace.
The Governor said that as Kenya commemorates 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV), the rising tide of violence against women in the country should be addressed through a multi-agency approach involving National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), social workers, security agencies and religious leaders.
While issuing a statement condemning the recent Nakuru incident in which a 33-year-old woman was allegedly attacked and seriously injured by her husband, the Governor expressed concern that despite consistent advocacy and progress, the persistent occurrence of femicide continued to claim lives of mothers, daughters and grandmothers prematurely.
She termed the attack on the young woman as a cowardly and beastly act that had no place in the society adding that such barbaric and inhumane behaviour would not be tolerated in the County.
“As the County Government of Nakuru, we stand with Shiku and her family during this difficult time, and through the Department of Social Services, we are working closely with the police to ensure the perpetrator of this vile act is swiftly brought to justice,” affirmed the Governor.
Ms Kihika said she is committed to building a society where everyone feels safe, respected, and protected and assured of her full support to the victim and her family to ensure justice is served with no delay.
While asserting that when one woman is unsafe all women are unsafe, the County boss declared that it is unacceptable that women and girls still face unimaginable violence with lives cut short through acts of violence.
Describing femicide as an extreme manifestation of violence against women, Governor Kihika said a long-term solution to killings of women and girls must be found urgently adding that the rising cases of violence against women and increasing reports on their killings across the country highlighted a worsening national crisis.
She said as the country marks 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence, Kenya should not witness an escalation of femicide or gender-based violence, but instead proposals and solutions that will give a comprehensive plan that will provide lasting solutions should be realized.
Kenya has recorded 97 femicide cases in the past three months, including the brutal murder of a woman, her daughter, and niece.
In response to the escalating crisis, the government is taking affirmative actions. Gender and Affirmative Action Principal Secretary Ms Anne Wang’ombe disclosed plans for a national campaign fashioned on the successful HIV/Aids awareness model of the 1990s.
“We recognize the urgent need to establish and improve support systems including shelters and legal assistance for victims of violence. We also need to improve our data collection on femicide and gender-based violence to improve, to inform policy decisions and track progress effectively,” the Principal Secretary was quoted in a section of the press.
By Esther Mwangi
