That’s not a typo. That’s January, February, and March. In those 90 days, 129 lives were taken. Names. Faces. Dreams. Futures.

These aren’t just statistics. They are mothers, daughters, sisters, friends.

Last year, 579 women were killed. That number was up from 534 in 2023 and 526 in 2022. Kenya has now reported the highest femicide rate in East Africa. In 2024, 170 women were killed — a 79% increase from the year before.

We have laws: the Sexual Offenses Act, the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act. But without enforcement, without funding, without urgency, they are just words on paper.

What’s Going So Wrong?

Survivors are told to “wait.”
Families are told to “be patient.”
Officers are untrained, overwhelmed, or uninterested.

Investigations stall due to poor forensic infrastructure. Survivors lack access to medical help. Shelters are underfunded. Cases fall through the cracks. Suspects walk free.

And meanwhile, women continue to die.

The motives behind these killings are even more heartbreaking:

• 50% of cases are linked to domestic violence

• 30% have no known motive

• 5-10% involve witchcraft accusations

• 5% stem from land or property disputes

According to Nation Africa, of the 172 women killed in Kenya in 2024, over 100 cases had no clear motive. However, among those that did, domestic disputes accounted for 32 cases, followed by robbery-related killings, land disputes, and incidents involving accusations of infidelity or witchcraft. These numbers reflect the deeply personal and often preventable nature of femicide in Kenya. (Nation Africa, 2024)

A 2024 study by the National Crime Research Centre, reported in The Star, pointed to underlying causes such as jealousy, mental health struggles, societal expectations around masculinity, and the breakdown of social norms. These findings show that femicide isn’t just a criminal issue—it’s a social and cultural one too. (The Star, 2024)

Counties like Nairobi, Kiambu, Kilifi, and Trans Nzoia top the list. In places like West Pokot and Nandi, all the victims were women.

Let that sink in.

Speaking Up – But Doing It Right

When we talk about femicide, we must do so ethically. Thoughtfully. Humanely. This is not a spectacle. This is trauma. This is grief.

So how do we talk about it the right way?

• Center the victims, not the violence. Say their names when appropriate. Honour who they were, not just how they died.

• Avoid graphic descriptions. Sensationalism retraumatizes survivors.

• Amplify survivor voices, don’t speak over them.

• Fact-check before sharing. Even well-meaning misinformation causes harm.

• Stay human. Speak with empathy, not performance. This is about lives, not clicks.

Joanna Kinuthia recently shared a powerful video on Instagram, unpacking her own reaction to this crisis. It was raw. Real. Urgent. More of us need to do the same. Speak up. Share. Shake the table.