By Makena Rachel
A cry for change. Sign the petition today. Courtesy of Usikimye and Joanna Kinuthia.
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde
Amanda Mutheu, 5, was viciously murdered by her uncle on 11th June 2025. Allegedly intoxicated, he threw her off the second floor balcony of her home in Jacaranda Gardens. She was rushed to Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital but unfortunately succumbed to her injuries.
Abigael Wina Wanjiku, 18, was brutally raped, mutilated and murdered in her home in Mwiki on 19th June 2025. Her mother found her naked in a pool of her blood. She was stabbed five times in the stomach and once in the neck.
The last moments of their lives were filled with a savage brutality that no woman should ever endure. This is femicide. Femicide is the intentional killing of women with a gender-related motivation.
In Kenya, a woman is killed every 18 hours. In 2024, 579 women were killed according to a National Police Service report. Home, a place that should be a safe haven for women, is where 72% of femicides take place.
“When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression”
In order to understand femicide, it is important to realize that it is deeply rooted in misogynistic behavior. There has been a disturbing increase of misogynistic content on various social media platforms in Kenya. This is known as the manosphere.
The manosphere refers to a network of social media influencers and communities promoting male supremacy and antifeminist ideologies. The manosphere claims that men have been disadvantaged by feminism and need to reclaim their power, that feminism has come at the cost of men’s rights.
According to CNN, Kenya was consistently in the top 10 of countries globally using known manosphere words and phrases across X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2023. Kenya’s ranking rose to third in January 2024, coinciding with a rise in femicide cases. Harmless conversations on relationships, jobs and finances turn into toxic arguments about outdated gender norms
Victim Blaming
Alarmingly, young men seem apathetic to the femicide crisis in Kenya. Women are blamed for their own deaths, their stories being subjected to intense scrutiny.
What was she wearing? Why was she out late? What did she do to provoke him? These are common examples of questions used to invalidate victims’ experiences. Victim blaming shifts accountability from the perpetrator to the victim and perpetuates cycles of abuse.
What justifies killing women? What justifies the deaths of Amanda and Abigael who were murdered in their own homes? What justifies the brutal manner in which their lives were taken?
Culture and Gender Norms
Kenyan culture is inherently patriarchal. Gender roles and outdated traditions rule our society. Women are expected to be subservient and long-suffering while men are seen as dominant and providers.
This creates and strengthens power imbalances, where women are continuously exposed to violence due to their social standing. The entitlement to women and their bodies is evident when some men cite rejection or spending money on women as their cause for murdering innocent women.
Femicide should be a crime
“Femicide is a pandemic” – Njeri Wa Migwi
Majority of perpetrators of femicide are not apprehended. This sends a message that the killing of women is tolerated, as it is not widely persecuted, leading to further cycles of abuse and violence. For those who face legal action, the delays in prosecution caused by poor investigations leave them distrustful of the justice system
At the moment, femicide is not criminalized in Kenya. Article 21 of the constitution states that the State shall enact and implement legislation to fulfil its international obligations in respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Femicide violates the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women. So why is it that femicide is not a crime?
The Kenyan government needs to take strides to protect Kenyan women by offering support to victims of femicide, ensuring the apprehension of perpetrators and providing clearly defined legal structures that protect women against femicide.
Kenya has a femicide crisis. Recognizing femicide as a crime is crucial in order to ensure the protection of women, increase accountability and guarantee justice for all victims. Every woman deserves to live without fear. #endfemicideke