Nairobi — President William Ruto has directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to take decisive action against criminals behind femicides and murders cases being witnessed in the country.
While delivering remarks during Kithure Kindiki swearing-in as the new Deputy President on Friday Ruto stated that individuals responsible for the increasing number of Femicides and murders should face legal consequences.
"I call upon the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and all the investigating authorities in Kenya must stand up to these criminals. We must deal decisively and firmly with them," he said.
Ruto urged Kenyans to exercise caution especially while interacting with strangers in order to ensure their safety.
"I want to ask us as a society to be careful with strangers and people who lure our girls and women into situations that compromise their security," he urged.
A coalition of prominent human rights organizations and advocacy groups in Kenya on Tuesday October 29 2024 issued a joint statement urging President Ruto to officially declare femicide a national crisis and disaster.
The coalition called for an immediate, coordinated government response to address the systemic violence women face nationwide citing a troubling rise in brutal murders of women and girls.
The coalition highlighted recent cases, including the murders of Starlet Wahu and Rita Waeni, the discovery of six women's bodies in Kware, Embakasi--linked to a primary suspect, Collins Jumaisi, who remains at large--and the recent death of Yvonne Jirangwa, a 23-year-old trainee nun, whose body was found in a sewer pit in Rongo.
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The coalition, comprising FIDA-Kenya, Siasa Place, and the Centre for Community Development and Human Rights, expressed grief and outrage at what they describe as failures in protecting women's constitutional rights, including the right to life, safety, and security.
"President Ruto must address the nation and provide a clear and unwavering commitment to the safety and security of women and girls," the statement reads. "He should officially declare femicide a national crisis and assure the public that this administration is actively working to protect women and girls."
The coalition also urged the President to direct the National Police Service to release a comprehensive update on investigations into these murders within 14 days.
In 2024 alone, FIDA-Kenya has documented at least 30 cases of women killed by intimate partners in acts of domestic violence and femicide.
The government has vowed to sustain efforts to strengthen prevention mechanisms to curb Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including femicide cases in the country.
While addressing a joint press conference on Wednesday with DCI chief Mohamed Amin Gender Principal Secretary Anne Wang'ombe affirmed the government's commitment to ensuring justice for victims while collaboratively addressing cultural and societal biases that perpetuate femicide and related forms of violence.
"It is an inherent right to live, and everyone, irrespective of their gender, should [be] allowed to enjoy it," she stated.
