The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
The recent reported cases of alleged murders of women in Nairobi have ignited a wave of responses from Kenyans on various social media platforms, prompting civil societies to advocate for concrete action.
The discovery of an unidentified woman’s dismembered body, found concealed in a sack in Kasarani on Sunday, has sparked widespread outcry on social media, with many Kenyans urging authorities to address the escalating issue of femicide.
This incident follows closely after the tragic murder of socialite Starlet Wahu, whose body was found at an Airbnb in South B, Nairobi, just days prior.
A report titled “Homicide Country Data,” released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in 2022, revealed that Kenya recorded 706 cases of femicide, translating to 2.64 cases per 100,000 women in 2021.
According to the same research, Kenya stands out as one of the countries with the highest rates of female homicides and abuse.
Civil societies, human rights organizations, and women on social media have united in condemning the recent reported killings of women, calling upon relevant authorities to take decisive action.
Feminists in Kenya, an organization dedicated to gender equality, expressed their condemnation of the escalating femicide cases on their official platform. They vehemently rejected any notion suggesting that women who do not conform to patriarchal standards deserve death, emphasizing the need for accountability.
“In calling for accountability, we recognize the inadequacies of Kenya’s criminal justice system to effectively provide redress to survivors and victims. We urge all relevant institutions to take necessary and urgent steps in safeguarding women’s constitutional right to life,” wrote Feminists in Kenya.
On Sunday, another tragic incident occurred, where a 25-year-old mother of three was found murdered in Kwa Ndomo, Kilifi county, allegedly in a house she shared with her partner. The partner has reportedly fled, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
A growing number of women are using the hashtag #StopKillingWomen to demand an end to victim-blaming narratives. Njeri Wa Migwi expressed concern about the alarming frequency of femicide cases, calling it a national crisis.
“Four femicide cases, the reported ones. That’s one murder every two days. This is a national crisis. We cannot be counting the number of women’s bodies murdered and think this is a normal occurrence,” wrote Njeri Wa Migwi.
Another social media user, Inamulindwa (Sugar Venom), highlighted the myriad reasons women are targeted, emphasizing the urgency of stopping the violence against women in all its forms.
