Nairobi to put up Sh88m safe house for gender violence survivors

Nairobi county government is set to construct a Sh88 million safe house for survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.

This will make Nairobi the 14th county to have a safe house constructed for SGBV victims. The safe house will be in Karura ward in Westlands subcounty.

On Tuesday, City Hall signed an MoU with the Nairobi Metropolitan Services and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund  for the construction of the safe house.

“This is a milestone. Finally our men and women can have a safe home as they seek justice against the perpetrators,”  Nairobi Governor Anne Kananu said.

The county government together with NMS, contributed Sh20 million and donated land for the construction of the house measuring, approximately, 4,800 square metres.

SGBV is a silent, dark and daily shadow hovering around many people across the country.

Nairobi has not been left behind in the damning statistics. 

Information on the county continues to paint a grim picture as 3,716 sexual violence cases were recorded  from January to June 2021.

This was an increase compared to 3,450 cases recorded last year as per data from the Kenya Health Information System.

The KHIS data didn’t specify the gender involved in the sexual violence cases.

In 2019, at least 2,023 SGBV cases were reported being a decrease from 2,357  in 2018.

In 2016, 1,997 cases of sexual violence were recorded in Nairobi followed by 2,021 cases in 2017 which was a general election year.

To fund all the external works of the house, NMS has contributed Sh18 million.

NGAAF has given Sh50 million towards the construction.

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris commended the Nairobi county government for donating the land saying the title document had already been issued by the National Lands Commission.

“The delay in signing  the MoU had been occasioned by the lack of a title document but the NLC hastened the process and here we are today," Passaris said.

"It is important that government funds end up building on government land.”

Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Rachael Shebesh said the Nairobi haven will be the 14th safe space for SGBV survivors in Kenya.

“It is only in 13 counties that governors and Woman Representatives have joined forces and successfully signed an MoU to put up safe houses for gender-based violence victims,” she said.

“Women leadership should not be loud and bossy. Those in leadership should work together towards achieving reachable and sustainable projects for their people.”

Karura MCA Joseph Wambugu said the location will be consequential since there is a health centre and police station close by.

“These facilities and infrastructures are necessary for GBV responses and the collection of  aggregate information on prevention, occurrence and responses related to the menace,” he said.

The ground breaking ceremony will be done soon.

Last November, Kananu while still in her capacity as the deputy governor, assented to the Sexual Gender Based Violence Bill which was sponsored by nominated MCA Wanjiku Kariuki.

The Bill states that SGBV victims should have shelters, get  proper care they need and justice.

To ensure the victims are safe as their cases are being prosecuted, the Bill wants City Hall to set up safe houses in each of the 17 subcounties.

“The county government will ensure budgetary allocation for the facilities as well as a witness protection programme," the Bill read.

Also in attendance during the signing of the MoU was  Nyeri Deputy Governor Caroline Karugu, Head of GBV at NMS Roselyne Mkabana, Likoni MP Mishi Mboko and NGAAF coordinator Charity Kanario.

(Edited by Francis Wadegu)