The country is still reeling from the shocking rise of femicide cases over the past few weeks. Femicide is the intentional abuse, torture and misogynistic killing of women and girls.
This is attributed to stereotyped notions about the weakness of women and girls with unequal power relations compared to men coupled with harmful societal norms.
When Scarlet Wahu was killed after a rogue fateful date, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had been part of an alleged criminal gang in Nairobi, violently robbing and raping women by luring them from dating sites.
Incidentally, more women have since spoken out having interacted with the key suspect ‘John Matara’ in other dating instances that left them injured and fighting for their lives. In fact, according to one witness, Matara had been reported to the police before with minimal to no action taken over the reported incidences.
To the chagrin of many, other cases of femicide have since been reported, including that of university student Rita Waeni, who was butchered by an unknown assailant. These narratives of femicide buttress the grim 2022 Kenya Domestic Health Survey statistics which revealed that one in three women have experienced physical violence in their lives.
These cases have also raised a crucial reflection on the role of the state in protecting women against such rogue ruthless assailants. Commendably, Kenya is party to several progressive human rights instruments underscoring its obligation to protect women and girls.
These include the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Banjul Charter).
Women are also protected under the Kenyan Constitution 2010 as a vulnerable group whose rights should be respected. These include the rights under Chapter Four, ie, the right to dignity (art 28), right to life (art 26) and freedom from torture (art 29).
Despite these ‘glowy’ and impressive instruments that dictate the state's obligation to protect women, the recent patterns show that it has utterly failed to do so.
According to Femicide Count Kenya, 152 femicide killings were reported in 2023, which number only takes into account reported cases, hence, the real statistics could be higher.
Many of the victims were between 21 and 30 years old and were reportedly killed through stabbing, beating, mutilation, strangling and being set on fire.
The nationwide uproar against femicide is an unfortunate reminder of just how dangerous it still can be to be a woman in the social sphere. In this, the state has failed and betrayed victims of femicide by not protecting them from the occurrences of violence.
This is a conversation that ought not to be heard “after the fact”. In any case, the state should implement laws protecting women through a proactive rather than a reactive approach.
Femicide in Kenya is a huge setback to the valiant efforts that have gone into championing women's rights from the 20th century. Most importantly, it makes one wonder how we can make the state alive to its responsibilities in protecting women.
It has been clear that progressive laws have not been compelling enough. Perhaps continued advocacy amplifying gruesome femicide stories would jolt it back to recognise and act upon the lived realities of women and girls in Kenya.
Until then, we pose the question: who’s next?
Program associate at Utu Wetu Trust, an NGO working for an equitable and just world for women and girls