Kenyan Women Announce Protests Over Starlet Wahu, Rita Waeni Murders

The feminist march is scheduled to happen on January 27, 2024, at Jevanjee Gardens at 10:00 am.

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Jan 17, 2024 - 15:28
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Kenyan Women Announce Protests Over Starlet Wahu, Rita Waeni Murders
Kenyan women during a past feminish march outside the Supreme Court of Kenya. /FILE

Kenyan women, allies, civil society organizations, and government leaders have been urged to join in solidarity for a feminist march planned for Saturday, January 27 in Nairobi in the wake of an increase in femicide cases across the country.

A poster shared by the non-profit organization Usikimye and seen by Viral Tea indicated that the march has been dubbed #TotalShutdownKenyaAgain and sponsored by the NGO as well as Feminists In Kenya (FIK) and Zamara Foundation.

The feminist march is scheduled to happen on January 27, 2024, at Jevanjee Gardens at 10:00 am.

Explaining the purpose of the march, Usikimye lamented that Kenyan women and girls across the board were tired of being dehumanized in the femicide cases, which drew nationwide attention following the murders of Starlet Wahu and 20-year-old Rita Waeni in the space of a week.

Collage of slain Rita Waeni and Starlet Wahu. /VIRAL TEA KE

"Being a woman should not be a death sentence! As Kenyan women, including LGBTQ+ women and girls in all our diversities, we are tired of the dehumanization that permeates our existence, the tragically normalized occurrences of femicide, and the pervasive victim-blaming rhetoric surrounding violence against women and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).

"In feminist solidarity, we, represented by @fik, @usikimye, and @zamara, call on all Kenyan women, allies, civil society organizations, and government leaders to join us in a united front on January 27, 2024, at Jeevanjee Gardens from 10:00 am," read the notice in part.

Usikimye added that it is additionally and actively coordinating with feminists in Kisumu and Mombasa to facilitate the march for women in these regions.

"For those interested in collaborations and partnerships, please connect with us via [email protected]," added the notice, further revealing that more details would be shared in the coming days.

The announcement was shared across the three societies as well as through popular actress Catherine Kamau, alias Kate Actress, who also declared her support for the protests.

UN Women defines the term femicide as an intentional killing with a gender-related motivation. It may be driven by stereotyped gender roles, discrimination towards women and girls, unequal power relations between women and men, or harmful social norms.

Gender-based violence is a major concern in Kenya. In 2022 at least 34% of women said they had experienced physical violence, according to a national survey.

The recent femicide cases have drawn outrage on social media with civil societies calling for action.

A report titled Homicide Country Data released in 2022 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime states that 706 cases of femicide, or 2.64 cases per 100,000 women, occurred in Kenya in 2021. Based on the same research, Kenya is one of the countries with the highest rates of female homicides and female abuse.

Civil societies and human rights organisations together with women on social media have condemned the recently reported killings of women and have called to action relevant authorities to address the issue, including women representatives and leaders.

Meanwhile, Viral Tea has obtained a media invite from the Office of The Presidential Advisor on Women's Rights indicating that women leaders will be expected to address the rising cases of intimate partner violence (IPV) being witnessed in the country on Friday, January 19.

Pauline Warui, (C) a representative of the Commonwealth Business Women Network Kenya, addresses the media on 19 March 2023 on the planned mass action by the Opposition. /THE STAR

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