A human rights organisation has warned of likely sexual violence against women aspirants in the August general election.
A new report by the Kenya Human Rights Commission together with the International Federation of Human Rights askes the state to prevent such violence.
“After the 2007-2008 post-election violence, the commission of inquiry into the violence reported that over 900 cases of sexual gender-based violence had occurred,” the report said.
These cases, the commission said, were the only ones reported, and it could be much higher than that.
The report said although the 2013 elections were not marred with much violence, violence against women politicians was rife.
“Verbal, physical abuse, threats and intimidation of female political aspirants were reported during the 2013 elections,” it said.
In 2017, KNCHR documented at least 201 cases of sexual gender-based violence.
With such as track record of sexual offences during the elections, the commission said the government needs to be more prepared.
The commission called on the authorities to plan for the prevention of sexual violence against women, men, boys, girls, and vulnerable people in the community.
“We call on the government, the IEBC, and political parties to anticipate the risk that political violence may take the form of SGBV and to take urgent and appropriate measures,” the commission said.
These measures, they said, must be aimed at prevention, protection, investigation, prosecution, and reparation.
The report found that sexual violence is used as a major tool for political violence.
“In the Kenyan context, the preservation of the control over the political system seems to have constituted a motive in the perpetration of election-related SGBV against women and men, to exercise political dominance and power over certain persons and communities,” it said.
They asked state agencies and civil societies to create public awareness on election-related sexual violence and monitor any cases that may arise.
“Bodies such as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority should work to ensure that law enforcement officers who take part in inflicting election violence are persecuted,” they said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
