Nairobi — A total of 94 cases of killings of women and girls were reported between 2021 and 2024, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin has revealed.
Amin sated that of these, 65 suspects have been arraigned in various courts across the country in connection with the murders.
Speaking on Tuesday, Amin directed a team of specially trained investigators from the DCI's Homicide Directorate to expedite investigations into serious sexual offenses and murder incidents involving women.
Amin said the move aims to put an end to what he described as the worrying trend of femicide in the country.
"These killings have cast a dark shadow over our safety and security endeavors; we must put this menace to end with remarkable speed and finality," he said.
Amin said that a team comprising criminal intelligence analysts and forensic experts, will also partner with other stakeholders to come up with swift and comprehensive preventive strategies to address the violation of human rights.
The team has been instructed to complete the pending investigations and ensure all those culpable are brought to book.
Amin vowed to provide all needed resources to the investigative teams to enable them to deliver their mandate effectively.
The DCI boss further appealed to members the public to volunteer any information that could aid in investigations or assist in apprehension of perpetrators of femicide and violence against women through the toll-free DCI hotline 0800722203
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"There is a nexus between femicide and sexual violence. We know the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, let us expose them. Let us all join hands to defeat this evil," Amin said.
These revelations come amid a surge in femicide cases, with notable incidents including the killings of 20-year-old university student Rita Waeni and socialite Starlet Wahu, sparking public outrage.
On July 28, activists took to the streets of Nairobi in an 'EndFemicideinKenya' protest, demanding immediate government action.
During the demonstration, activists expressed frustration and concern over the growing number of killings and abuses directed at women in Kenya.
They called on the government, including prominent women leaders like First Lady Rachel Ruto, Second Lady Dorcas Gachagua, and Gender Affairs Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa, to condemn these acts and take decisive measures to combat gender-based violence.
The activists criticized the government's silence on the issue and questioned the absence of official statements condemning femicide.
They demanded swift and robust measures to curb gender violence and femicide cases, warning that protests would continue until their demands were met.
