Police in Kenya hurl teargas at protesters against gender-based violence
Kenyan women and feminists demonstrate against the increase in the number of feminicides in the centre of Nairobi, Kenya, on 27 January 2024. -
By Rédaction Africanews
with AP Last updated: 5 hours ago
Kenya
Police in Kenya hurled teargas canisters Tuesday at hundreds of protesters against gender-based violence, or femicide, in the capital, Nairobi, and arrested an unknown number of people.
Protesters chanting “Stop femicide” were dispersed by police in a public park where they had gathered and later engaged in running battles along the streets. Several protesters were injured in the confrontation Tuesday.
One activist, Mwikali Mueni, told The Associated Press that she suffered a neck injury from uniformed police officers and was heading to the hospital.
“It is very sad that I was injured while championing for women not to be injured or killed. If the president is serious about ending femicide, let him start by taking action on the officers who have brutalized us today,” she said.
Kenya has a silent epidemic of gender-based violence. Police in October said 97 women had been killed since August, most by their male partners.
Last month, President William Ruto committed more than $700,000 for a campaign to end femicide after meeting with elected women leaders.
A U.N. report released in November to mark the start of a separate 16-day global campaign said Africa recorded the highest rate of partner-related femicide in 2023.
There has been a series of anti-femicide protests in Kenya and on Nov. 25 during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, police used tear gas to disperse a handful of protesters who had braved the bad weather.
Kenya was among several African countries elected to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Oct. 9.
The police crackdown on protesters on Tuesday during Human Rights Day has been criticized by activists.
“Why are we being beaten and tear-gassed, yet we are peaceful? We will keep coming to the streets till the day women will stop being slaughtered like animals,” activist Mariam Chande told journalists.
Activists questioned how law enforcement agencies have handled femicide cases, protesting the escape from police cells of a suspect who confessed to killing 42 women after dismembered bodies were found stuffed in plastic sacks and dumped in a flooded quarry.
“It’s not fair that we can’t sleep well. You disappear, you come back in a sack,” a protester who only introduced herself as Phoebe said.
Kenyan women and feminists demonstrate against the increase in the number of feminicides in the centre of Nairobi, Kenya, on 27 January 2024. -
Copyright © africanewsBrian Inganga/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved
By Rédaction Africanews
with AP Last updated: 5 hours ago
Kenya
Police in Kenya hurled teargas canisters Tuesday at hundreds of protesters against gender-based violence, or femicide, in the capital, Nairobi, and arrested an unknown number of people.
Protesters chanting “Stop femicide” were dispersed by police in a public park where they had gathered and later engaged in running battles along the streets. Several protesters were injured in the confrontation Tuesday.
One activist, Mwikali Mueni, told The Associated Press that she suffered a neck injury from uniformed police officers and was heading to the hospital.
“It is very sad that I was injured while championing for women not to be injured or killed. If the president is serious about ending femicide, let him start by taking action on the officers who have brutalized us today,” she said.
Kenya has a silent epidemic of gender-based violence. Police in October said 97 women had been killed since August, most by their male partners.
Last month, President William Ruto committed more than $700,000 for a campaign to end femicide after meeting with elected women leaders.
A U.N. report released in November to mark the start of a separate 16-day global campaign said Africa recorded the highest rate of partner-related femicide in 2023.
There has been a series of anti-femicide protests in Kenya and on Nov. 25 during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, police used tear gas to disperse a handful of protesters who had braved the bad weather.
Kenya was among several African countries elected to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Oct. 9.
The police crackdown on protesters on Tuesday during Human Rights Day has been criticized by activists.
“Why are we being beaten and tear-gassed, yet we are peaceful? We will keep coming to the streets till the day women will stop being slaughtered like animals,” activist Mariam Chande told journalists.
Activists questioned how law enforcement agencies have handled femicide cases, protesting the escape from police cells of a suspect who confessed to killing 42 women after dismembered bodies were found stuffed in plastic sacks and dumped in a flooded quarry.
“It’s not fair that we can’t sleep well. You disappear, you come back in a sack,” a protester who only introduced herself as Phoebe said.
By Africanews
Kenya
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Nairobi on Tuesday to denounce rising femicide cases in Kenya, only to face a violent police crackdown that left many injured and dispersed.
Protesters, chanting “Stop femicide,” had gathered to highlight the alarming number of killings of women and girls in the country. Police responded with teargas, leading to chaos in the streets.
“Our Lives Do Not Matter”
Julius Kamau, one of the protesters, expressed frustration with the government's handling of gender-based violence.
"The constitution is very clear, and everybody must show fidelity to the constitution of Kenya, including the police. They are chasing us like children. We are here to protest against killings of people, women, and girls. It’s happening everywhere. Our lives do not matter in this country. How long shall we live like this?” Kamau said.
Women Demand Justice
Nancy Waithera, another protester, called on authorities to listen to women’s pleas.
"We are begging you to not kill us. We came here for a reason, and they are throwing teargas all over. Women are dispersed all over. It is very wrong for police to do this. It is high time for you to listen to women. Stop killing us," she said.
A Worsening Crisis
Kenya is grappling with a silent epidemic of gender-based violence. Police data shows that 97 women were killed between August and November 2024, most by their male partners. A recent U.N. report revealed Africa has the highest global rate of partner-related femicide.
Last month, President William Ruto pledged $700,000 for a campaign to end femicide, but activists argue that concrete action is still lacking.
On Human Rights Day, the use of force against peaceful protesters drew criticism from rights groups, who questioned the commitment of law enforcement to address femicide cases.
A notable failure was the recent escape of a suspect from custody after confessing to killing 42 women, leaving activists and the public outraged over systemic failures in the justice system.
Kenya’s election to the U.N. Human Rights Council in October has further heightened scrutiny over how the country addresses human rights issues, particularly gender-based violence.
The latest protest follows a series of similar demonstrations, including one on November 25, when police dispersed protesters with tear gas during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
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