NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 17 – Azimio Leader Rail Odinga has termed the recent murder cases of women in the country as a threat to security.
Odinga’s concern comes in the wake of the deaths of two women in under two weeks who died while in the company of alleged lovers.
He urged security agencies and other actors in the criminal justice system to step up their game to prevent further loss of lives.
“The ugly scourge of murder of women is now a national emergency. It is a threat to homeland security. It must come to an end,” he said.
The first incident involves the murder of popular socialite Starlet Wahu whose body was discovered in an Airbnb in South B in the New Year’s Eve and the killing of another woman in Roysambu area whose dismembered body was discovered in a rented house on January 14.
Odinga added that the recent deaths of young women is “troubling” leaving a trail of grief for families and friends.
“The abnormality of these murders cannot become the new normal. Murder is and will always be wrong, and there is no excuse,” he added.
Odinga is one among many Kenyans who have raised alarm over the recent spike in deaths of women.
Echoing Odinga’s call, the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA) has appealed to the government to further strengthen the regulatory mechanisms for accommodation facilities including Airbnbs in a bid to prevent the increased cases of femicide.
FIDA Kenya Chairperson Nancy Ikinu expressed concern over the recent cases of violence against women in the country which has led to loss of lives in recent weeks.
“The loss of life of these young women sets a worrying trend and uncertainty for the safety of women and girls in Kenya in general,” she said.
Ikinu said that the women’s rights organization remains concerned about the government’s failure to protect women and girls from violence.
She noted that that in the last year, 10 cases of femicide have been reported in the country with many more cases remain unreported.
Ikinu called on the government to do more to guarantee the safety of women and girls from intimate partner violence.
“Bringing the suspect to ‘justice’ is not sufficient, there is a need to additionally conduct a thorough, effective, and dedicated investigation into the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incidents,” she added.
