Kenyan police use teargas to disperse anti-femicide protesters in Nairobi

Police in Kenya used tear gas to disperse a peaceful march in Nairobi on Monday, commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Protesters later spoke out against the reaction by security forces and highlighted what they say is a lack of government action.

Nairobi resident,  Waithira Karanja, said they want accountability.

"The police are the ones who kill women, which is why they do not want us to protest against the killing of women. They are supposed to be protecting us,“ she said.

Kenyan police agencies say there have been 97 cases of femicide in various parts of the country in the last three months alone. But activists say many more go unreported.

Last week, Kenyan President William Ruto condemned the alarming rise in femicide cases and urged collective efforts to protect women from gender-based violence.

As the world marked the start of the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, social justice activist, Happy Olal, said the Kenyan government is not doing enough.

"Ruto cannot come and say there is femicide. He has an extra role. He should tell us how many people have been arrested this year because of femicide. How many?” he said.

The United Nations on Monday said 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally in 2023, of which 60 per cent died at the hands of their partner or a close relative.

Africa had the highest number, with an estimated 21,700 victims out of the 51,100 killings by an intimate partner or family member.

It also had the highest number of victims relative to the size of its population — 2.9 victims per 100,000 people.