Govt Goes After 'Airbnbs' Over Rise In Femicide Cases

The government has announced a crackdown on Kenyans offering short-term rental stays under the popular term 'Airbnb' without proper certifications.

This was revealed on Sunday, January 28 by Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria who expressed concern about the growing cases of crime and murders, mostly targeted at women in the short-term rentals.

Notably, the murders of Starlet Wahu and Rita Waeni in 2024 that have sparked nationwide uproar took place in Airbnb stays.

CS Kuria exposed how some of the accommodation spaces avoid being listed on the multinational online platform, thus their data cannot be obtained in the event there happens to be a security issue.

"Whereas most of these spaces are termed as AirBNB, they are not transacted through the AirBNB platform and thus there is no Know Your Customer (KYC) data collected, obviously a major security exposure," stated the CS on X.

Kuria then announced that the government would take action against those offering such services outside the online platform.

"The government will crack down on people offering such services outside the Airbnb or other authorised and licensed platforms," he added.

CS Kuria's statement came a day after nationwide protests were held in several towns as well as Nairobi, Kenya's capital, against the rising femicide cases witnessed in the country.

The protesters carrying placards reading “Stop killing us” urged the government to put policies to end femicide. 

After the murders of Starlet Wahu and Rita Waeni, much of the blame was pinpointed at Airbnbs, however, the listing platform had revealed in a statement on its website that "Over the past week, Kenya has witnessed two heinous crimes in the city of Nairobi. We are saddened and shocked to learn of these events, and our thoughts are with the victims’ loved ones during this difficult time."

"We can confirm that neither of these events were connected to stays on Airbnb."

According to Airbnb, the properties where the brutal murders occurred had no bookings registered on the platform for the reported dates, and the persons of interest in both cases did not have registered accounts.

Kuria's Tourism counterpart, Alfred Mutua, had notably announced tougher measures to enhance safety in the Airbnbs.

"It is our assurance that hospitality services in Kenya are generally safe. However, we urge the public to verify the registration and license status of facilities to ensure compliance with already outlined directives by the government and maintain quality standards.

"To uphold the integrity of our tourism industry, the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, through the Tourism Regulatory Authority, will rigorously enforce compliance, taking legal action against any violations of TRA licensing laws. Late renewals will be subject to penalties and other consequences as stipulated by law," he stated on Tuesday, January 16.