Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has spoken up after she was on Saturday 'booed' during the anti-femicide march.
She was also heckled by the gathering that had convened for the march.
An X user said that she felt Passaris was booed because people felt she had done so little regarding the surge of femicide cases.
“I think the issue is people felt you did too little too late, considering. Perhaps this is an opportunity to put in place some frameworks to fight the misogyny that plays a huge factor in femicide,” the x user said.
Responding to the user on X, Passaris said that the heckling was because she was the available punching bag to let out frustrations and settle political scores.
“Not because “you did little too late”. I have been on a planning wall with Civil Society Organizations for the Femicide march from inception,” she wrote.
“NGAAF and my entire team stood up to be counted as mandated. We finished the march strong. Now back to work knowing we are ALL part of the solution and the problem,” she said.
On Saturday, a group of women booed Passaris while chanting ‘go back home’ and ‘Where were you?’ at the Jevanjee Gardens where she was to lead another group of civil society and human rights activists in a peaceful demonstration over the rising cases.
The group did not let Passaris utter a word when she was invited to make her address.
Undeterred, Passaris stayed on and took part in the protests with the rest of the group.
Addressing the media afterward, Passaris said she was part of the team that planned the march.
“I know that there is a lot of anger but to take out that anger on a woman leader is wrong. It starts from the top. From the President to the CSs, to the legislators, to the Judiciary, to the police," the woman rep said.
The lawmaker hailed the police for moving with speed and arresting suspects of recent femicide cases.
“The judiciary should on their part handle the cases expeditiously and lock up the criminals,” she said.
“We have to deal with the causes of the violence. The causes cannot be cured by the woman representative alone but the entire society," added the senator.
She said the police should be well-funded and trained to deal with gender-based violence.
