As the world marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Kenya finds itself in mourning, grappling with a harrowing wave of femicides that have left the nation reeling.
In his State of the Nation address on November 21, 2024, President William Ruto acknowledged that gender-based violence (GBV) had reached crisis levels, demanding urgent national attention.
To address the menace, Ruto tasked Deputy President Kithure Kindiki with formulating radical affirmative actions within six months.
The tragic deaths of several women this year have underscored the need for profound societal change, enhanced legal protections, and swift justice for victims.
Below are some of the most heart-wrenching femicide cases that have captured public attention in 2024:
Scarlet Wahu
On January 3, 2024, 26-year-old Scarlet Wahu, a socialite and the younger sister of controversial preacher Pastor Victor Kanyari, was brutally murdered in a short-term rental apartment in South B, Nairobi.
CCTV footage revealed Wahu entering the apartment with the suspected killer, John Matara, on the same night.
Authorities discovered her body alongside a knife, two HIV test kits, and a used condom.
A postmortem examination revealed that Wahu was strangled and sustained a deep cut on her thigh, severing a vein and causing fatal blood loss.
Her tragic end sparked public outrage over escalating violence against women.
Rita Waeni
Rita Waeni Muendo, a 20-year-old university student, was found dismembered in a short-term rental apartment in Nairobi’s Roysambu area on January 14, 2024.
Her head was discovered a week later in a dam in Kiambu County.
Investigations revealed that her killer had demanded Ksh500,000 from her father in exchange for her freedom.
The two had met on Instagram, where the suspect communicated exclusively, avoiding direct phone calls.
Waeni, a third-year student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, became a symbol of the dangers young women face in an increasingly digital world.
Rebecca Cheptegei
Rebecca Cheptegei, a 33-year-old Ugandan Olympian, succumbed to her injuries on September 5, 2024, after being set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, in Eldoret.
The attack occurred on August 31, when Ndiema poured petrol over Cheptegei as she returned from church with her two daughters.
Ndiema also sustained burns and later died in hospital.
Cheptegei’s death, following burns to over 80% of her body, shocked the international community.
Just weeks earlier, she had represented Uganda in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics.
Her case highlighted the devastating consequences of unchecked intimate partner violence.
Mercy Kwamboka
The lifeless body of Mercy Kwamboka, a 20-year-old University of Nairobi student, was found on September 28, 2024, in a bush in Nairobi’s Mwiki area.
She was partially undressed, with broken legs, bruises on her gums, and burnt hands.
Mercy’s disappearance from her home in Pipeline, Embakasi, on September 27 led to a frantic search before the grim discovery of her body.
Investigations revealed that two soldiers had last been in contact with Mercy.
One had picked her up in a vehicle and later assaulted her during a confrontation, leading to her death.
The suspects were apprehended after forensic evidence linked them to the crime.
Seth Nyakio Njeri
On October 14, 2024, the body of Seth Nyakio Njeri, a Zetech University graduate, was discovered in her home in Thika, Kiambu County.
Preliminary investigations indicated that she had been strangled, with her nose and mouth covered by a palm.
An autopsy established that Nyakio died of manual strangulation while her nose and mouth were covered by a palm.
Authorities identified her former boyfriend as the main suspect in her murder.
Nyakio’s death sent shockwaves through the community.
As the daughter of Lucy Njeri, a nominated Member of County Assembly (MCA) in Kirinyaga, her case drew heightened attention to the pervasive violence against women, even those from influential families.
A national reckoning
These tragic stories are a stark reminder of the urgent need for action against gender-based violence in Kenya.
President Ruto’s directive to Deputy President Kindiki signals a step in the right direction, but the road to justice and safety for women remains long and fraught with challenges.
As the world observes International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Kenya must confront its crisis head-on, ensuring that the lives lost in 2024 are not in vain.