'Hundreds of our daughters, sisters and mothers are subjected to gender-based violence of different kinds on a daily basis. The worst part is that most of the cases are swept under the carpet'
Wajir residents and activists have raised alarm over rising cases of rape and murder and want action taken against gender-based violence offenders.
On Saturday, a five-year-old girl was defiled by a 13-year-old boy at Adam Awale in Wajir West. The boy has been arrested and the case in court. It is being handled at the children's department because the accused is a minor.
Activists say cases of defilement have risen over the last one month.
On September 28, a mother of five was attacked while herding goats in the outskirts of Diif border town. Saadia Omar's head was chopped. She was eight months pregnant.
The previous week, Ethow Khalif was raped and murdered in Wajir West. Her case was not reported to the police. the body was buried within hours in accordance with Somali culture and traditions. Ethow was a mother of six.
Activist Fatuma Yussuf says many such cases go unreported.
“Hundreds of our daughters, sisters and mothers are subjected to gender-based violence of different kinds on a daily basis. The worst part is that most of the cases are swept under the carpet,” the former nominated MCA said in an interview on Tuesday.
“The most disheartening part is that you will find that is some of cases, state officers including chiefs and the police, who should be on the forefront in ensuring that justice is served to the victims, are the ones being compromised and end up turning a blind eye.”
Wajir town businesswoman Rukia Abdile said it was high time the community takes a collective responsibility to ensure GBV cases are completely eradicated.
“It is like our society is rotten to the core and girls and women are no longer treated as human beings. These case really break my heart. We want Muslim scholars and Sheikhs to wake up and pronounced themselves on this matter," Abdile said.
Elder Mohamed Osman, 80, said killing the offenders was the only way to arrest the problem.
“If anyone rapes and kills, there is no reason to take such a person to court and have him jailed, fed and guarded by the police. It is a waste of time and money. Let him also be killed,” Osman said.
In an interview with the Star in his office on Tuesday, county police commander Stephen Ngetich acknowledging that gender-based violence cases were on the rise. He said residents were part of the problem.
He said the work of the police was often made difficult because the community always prefer to solve the cases through traditional Maslah system.
“We have on numerous occasions encountered difficulties pursuing such cases with lack of cooperation from the family members who are supposed to be witnesses. In some cases, they are the ones who will collude to hide the suspect,” Ngetich said.
Edited by peter obuya