Kakamega launches Sh12m gender violence rescue centre

The Kakamega government has launched a Sh12m Gender-Based Violence (GBV) rescue centre to offer a safe place for victims. 

The centre in Shinyalu constituency is the first of its kind in the county.

Governor Fernandes Barasa said the centre is a milestone for the county as it will provide shelter to victims of gender violence some who have been living on the streets, corridors and markets.

“This is not to say that we’re encouraging GBV in our society. We will not allow people to walks out of their homes on the slightest excuse to come and stay here. The days when people treated their spouses like personal property and assaulted them at will are long gone,” he said.

Barasa said the centre will be run by professionals who will do thorough vetting before admitting those seeking to be accommodated to cut out pretenders out for free accommodation.

He said the centre will help in tracking GBV incidences in the subcounty to ensure a proper database that would inform government interventions.

The governor said Kakamega county is ranked third in GBV cases among the 47 counties.

He said Kakamega recorded 4, 426 GBV cases between January and April 2022, with Shinyalu subcounty leading with 500. It was followed by Lugari, Matungu, Ikolomani and Khwisero.

“We have since established that those who get involved in GBV in Ikolomani and Shinyalu overindulge in alcohol and drug abuse. Others are still trapped in outdated cultural beliefs and they assault their wives as a way of asserting themselves,” he said.

He called on community leaders to revive the traditional conflict resolution mechanisms to deal with differences that may arise within households to lower cases of assault.

County Social Services Youth and Sports executive Mophat Mandela said a second rescue centre would be established in the northern region in the county next financial year to take care of cases in Malava, Lugari and Likuyani subcounties.

“We started with the central region because more of these cases are reported in Shinyalu and Ikolomani. The centre will carter for the entire county at the moment,” he said.

-Edited by SKanyara