Busia: A cross-section of leaders who attended the burial of a woman killed by her husband during a tragic domestic altercation now want stern action taken against perpetrators of femicide and gender-based violence in the country. Led by the Gender and Affirmative Action PS Anne Wang’ombe and her Economic and Planning counterpart Boniface Makokha, the leaders expressed fears that failure to address such a crisis through a collective intervention approach to the root cause of the problem was likely to expose more women and girls.

According to Kenya News Agency, Wang’ombe assured that the government was determined to end gender-based violence (GBV) and called for everyone to be part of the fight. She emphasized the need to change the narrative of increasing GBV cases in Busia County and urged youth to become ambassadors in protecting girls and women. Wang’ombe advocated for a shift from response to prevention to ensure no harm is done to people’s lives.

Makokha called on men to defend the rights of women to end domestic violence and GBV. He proposed starting a movement in Busia called ‘He or She’ to stand up for mothers, women, and girls, stressing the urgent need to end such situations.

Busia Women Representative Catherine Omanya urged men to empower women and called for the judicial system to ensure no compromise in cases involving women who are killed. She encouraged individuals in marriages that are not working to leave before it leads to fatal consequences.

Kajiado County Women Representative Leah Sankaire echoed the sentiment for everyone to defend women and advocated for alternative ways to solve marital problems without resorting to violence. She emphasized the need for society to embrace the empowerment of women, noting that women, once empowered, should not be seen as competitors but as contributors to society.

Busia County Deputy Governor Arthur Odera mentioned the establishment of a rescue center in the county to assist GBV victims as legal processes take their course. He urged tolerance and involvement of family members to find solutions to marital problems.

The family of the deceased called for justice, urging the government to ensure the suspect faces the full force of the law.