Thousands of people in Kenya have come together to protest the recent killings of over a dozen women, in what has been described as the largest anti-femicide demonstration in the country’s history. Protesters in Nairobi wore T-shirts with the names of the victims and brought traffic to a standstill, demanding an end to the violence against women.
The demonstrators were hostile to a parliamentary representative for women, accusing her of remaining silent during the killings. They shouted chants of “Where were you?” and “Go home!” as she tried to address the crowd. The president of the Law Society of Kenya, Eric Theuri, joined the protest and emphasized the importance of the country’s treatment of the weak and vulnerable.
Media reports have documented at least 14 killings of women since the beginning of the year, and further analysis showed that over 500 women had been killed in acts of femicide from 2016 to 2023. Many cases go unreported, highlighting the extent of the issue. The recent high-profile cases involved women being killed at Airbnb accommodations, sparking public outrage and calls for justice.
Theuri highlighted the slow pace of justice for gender-based violence cases in Kenyan courts, pointing to a shortage of judges and legal resources as contributing factors. He stressed the need for more provisions to address these issues and bring perpetrators to justice.