Police in
Narok County are investigating an incident in which a young woman was allegedly
assaulted by her brothers for choosing to marry a man they disapproved of.
The woman
was attacked in Nkareta after reportedly rejecting her brothers’ pressure to
marry into another family of their choice.
In a video
clip circulating online, four men are seen pushing her before beating her as
she screams for mercy and help.
Despite
her painful cries, the men continue to cane her with no one coming to her aid.
A woman at
the scene can also be seen, seemingly pleading with an older man to intervene,
but all is in vain.
After
assaulting her, the four men are seen carrying her away, where they reportedly
lock her in a room.
Gender
rights advocates have condemned the incident, terming it a case of gender-based
violence.
They
are calling for the immediate arrest of those responsible and for justice to be
served.
Condemning
the incident, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo noted that it
is not a cultural practice, rather an act of sexual violence, and “such conduct
cannot be countenanced”.
She pointed
out that the constitution guarantees individual autonomy and freedom of choice,
and equally frowns upon harmful cultural practices that undermine human rights.
“We call
upon the police to promptly identify and arrest the perpetrators of this
aggravated act of violence,” she added.
In March
2025, a similar case of assault over refusal to forced marriage ended fatally.
17-year-old
Gaala Aden Abdi was beaten and her body burned beyond recognition in Wajir
County for resisting a forced marriage to a 55-year-old man.
She had
been transported at night from the Dagahley refugee camp, 150 kilometers away,
to Wara, Ademasajida in Habaswein—a remote village— to meet her husband for the
first time.
Her
rejection, despite coercion from the man's relatives, led to her death.
Before the
murder, she reportedly made a call on Saturday night, revealing plans for her
death and naming those who orchestrated it.
A postmortem examination report revealed her body had sustained 100% burns, indicating the use of an open flame.
