Police use tear gas on Kenya protesters rallying against femicide
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has condemned the violence meted out by police officers against protesters who voiced their rage over the rise in femicide cases across the country.
While reflecting on the historic 61 years since Kenya became a republic, KNCHR Chairperson Roseline Odede questioned why the officers used brute force against unarmed women who were exercising their right to protest.
The protests, held on Tuesday, December 10, saw police teargas protesters in Nairobi CBD at a time when the country was culminating the 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence as announced by President William Ruto.
“These are our mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters who had bravely come out to march for their lives, dignity, and security as well as to advocate for an environment that safeguards their overall well-being,” Ms. Odede noted.
“Such acts undermine the very rights and fundamental freedoms that we fought so hard to achieve from the Colonial Government.”
The commission called on all the officers culpable ought to be prosecuted and charged for the crimes.
“We further stress the importance of safeguarding civic space and protection of all Human Rights Defenders as should be expected from a Democratic State like ours,” the statement read.
KNCHR explained that the officers’ actions are concerning as Kenya was recently admitted as a member of the Human Rights Council.
“This membership raises the bar even higher for it requires that Kenya sets an example in the promotion and protection of human rights,” KNCHR noted.
In October, Kenya was among 17 countries elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
This, however, attracted criticism from the local and international community that have accused Kenya of violating human rights.
“This protest was a courageous stand against the killing of women, a demand for urgency in investigating these murders and a call for perpetrators to be held accountable,” the statement said.
Item 1 of 10 Activists and civil society members participate in a nationwide march titled “End Femicide Kenya” to raise awareness about gender-based violence (GBV) and to pressure the Kenyan government to implement stricter laws and policies to combat this pervasive issue, in downtown Nairobi, Kenya December 10, 2024. REUTERS/Onsanse Juma
“The violent response by police … is a direct attack on Kenya’s democratic principles and the human rights of its citizens.”
Between August and October, at least 97 women in Kenya were killed in femicides – intentional killings with a gender-related motivation, according to the National Police Service.
Kenyan police fire teargas at protesters marching against femicide
As a Native person and a patriotic Kenyan, femicide concerns me because I have grown up and was brought up by women all my life. My mother was the baddest. She told me I have to go to school and she will always make food for me and that starts with breakfast before leaving for school.
Then one day I made the worst mistake as my mother just gave me a plate of food with eggs and corn from our farm. I always loved it. But on this day I was doing a hunting operation we did as kids to trap birds. We put food for the birds in a place. Then we set a trap so as soon as the bird goes for the food we pull the string and they are pretty much done.
So on this day as my mother gives me the food and checks my clothes I saw a bird walk into the trap and I pulled the rope and it knocked off the plate of food before I ate it. My mother was furious. I think she went out and threw off the trap and let the bird go. She told me I was going to school and will eat at lunch time when we go to her food place. With her, arguing wasn’t going to help you much at that time.
Then my sisters because in our family I was kind of the lonely boy in our family born among seven sisters. I love them to death and they know that. But that was my life. So the girls told me what to do and I mean what chance did I have against them.
And now on practical things like land ownership my four sisters and myself had to deal with the fact that the family land is registered under my name because I was the only male in the family when my father passed away. I have the Title Deed which actually belongs to my sisters too. So we had to figure that out.
The family went to the land office and we were told to sign an affidavit that my four sisters are entitled to use the property to build commercial buildings because they are living in a municipality. If you do not have the Title Deed you cannot build anything. Now all of us could build and develop the land which is right of the highway to Bondo Town Centre.
We signed it as a family and now all of us are working together with equal rights to our motherland to do something productive there.
One of the craziest incidences I had with my sisters is when I came out of prison during the Moi dictatorship. I come out and my mother is worried that I am not normal because I do not come to drink tea with her after she comes home.
Then I hear my sisters tell my mother loudly that the boy she sent to college is not the one who came back after prison. My mother asked them who came back? Then the girls tell her he is good and they will deal with him.
And they did. We just talked today about Christmas and what to for the families.
Today my elder sister, in Uyoma, told me she is going to eat Apoch from the farms on Christmas day. I asked her what the heck Apoch is. She told me to bring my ass home then I will find out.
I dedicate this Jamhuri Day to My Mother and My Sisters.
How Are You Doing Darlings?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Adongo Ogony is a Human Rights Activist and a Writer who lives in Toronto, Canada
