Protesting alarming rise in femicides in Kenya, thousands of women bring streets of Nairobi to standstill

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Thousands of women took to the streets of the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Saturday, bringing traffic to a standstill in a powerful protest against an escalating wave of femicide across Kenya.

The atmosphere was charged with determination as the protesters, clad in white T-shirts with bold messages proclaiming "Stop Killing Us," marched through the city center in a demonstration called the Feminist March Against Femicide.

The procession, originating from the iconic Jeevanjee Gardens in Nairobi's central business district, marched slowly around the Kenyan capital to spread their message.

The air resounded with chants and slogans demanding justice for the victims and an immediate end to brutal attacks on women.

Women from diverse backgrounds and ages held signs with heart-wrenching messages such as "She was someone, not just a statistic" and "Being a woman shouldn’t be a death sentence."

Esther Passaris, a representative of Nairobi Woman NGO, addressed the crowd, calling on President William Ruto to break his silence and take a stand against femicide.

"We need the whole nation to unite against femicide, we need the president's support in this matter, our women and young girls are being killed," she said.

Jane Kamau Njoroge, a teacher, also voiced her concerns, stating: "I stand here not just for myself but for my students, for the next generation. We cannot allow our girls to grow up in a world where their lives are at risk simply because of their gender."

Peter Mwangi, a businessman, said: “As a man, I believe in protecting our women. It's not just a women's issue, it's a societal issue. We must all stand united against femicide.”

The protest was ignited by a string of gruesome murders within the last four weeks that claimed the lives of seven women.

The Kenyan government has condemned the recent surge in femicide cases and pledged to take action to address the issue.

The most recent investigation into femicide in Kenya, into the murder and dismemberment of 20-year-old Rita Waeni, is what sparked the protests.

Two Nigerian men, William Ovie Opia and Johnbull Asbor, are the prime suspects in Waeni's murder and are currently in police custody.

Although both suspects have appeared in court, they have not yet been formally charged.

Simultaneously, a wave of protests has swept through numerous major towns across Kenya, uniting hundreds of women under a common cause in each locality.

Some of the towns that held protests on Saturday include Kisumu, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Kisii, and Kilifi, among others.