Women leaders want stringent penalties for femicide perpetrators

 

Women leaders in Kenya are pushing for stringent penalties for all perpetrators of femicide. They want this as a response to a disturbing rise in such cases across the country.

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris are calling on the state to take decisive action to end the violence inflicted on women and girls.

“Femicide is not a women issue. Every time a woman is killed; women leaders are asked where are you and what are you doing? This is a national concern,” said Pasarris

“Your Excellency (President William Ruto), I wish you would declare femicide a national crisis, kwa sababu wale wamama wameuawa this year alone, ni jambo hatujawahi ona and especially vile wanavyouawa,” added Kihika

Passaris is now proposing the establishment of a special police unit dedicated to addressing femicide, similar to the approach taken for terrorism and violent extremism.

“We need a squad. We dealt with terrorism with a terrorism squad. We need a squad in the police service to deal with femicide and sexual gender-based violence. It is becoming scary every single day,” she said

Kihika emphasised that the police must do everything in their power to apprehend the culprits and urged the courts to impose severe penalties on those found guilty of femicide.

“We want to see our security agencies get serious. We need to see perpetrators being hauled into courts and being jailed for life or whatever, so that it works as a deterrent for any other person who could think that the life of a girl or woman in this country is worthless,” she said

They further challenged men in society to stand up and fight against this vice.

“Wanaume wasimame waanze kuchunga wamama na wasichana. Jungeni sisi. The oldest woman raped in this country is 83 years, the youngest is 5 months. Tuko na shida. Lazima tuombe sana ili Mungu ageuze roho za wanaume,” noted Pasarris

Any life lost is one life too many, and we cannot afford that. We need men to join us women in our efforts to end this,” reiterated Kihika.

By Eric Biegon