By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Police in Kenya on Tuesday fired teargas at hundreds of people protesting against an escalating wave of femicides in the East African country, human rights activists have confirmed.
The protesters, mostly women, marched in the capital Nairobi, blowing whistles and chanting, “Stop killing women!”
They were dispersed multiple times by police officers firing teargas from moving vehicles but managed to regroup repeatedly.
According to the National Police Service, at least 97 women in Kenya were killed in femicide attacks—intentional killings with gender-related motives—between August and October.
Protests also took place in the cities of Mombasa and Lodwar, as indicated by videos shared on social media.
A Reuters report noted that the protests in Nairobi were peaceful, making it unclear why the police intervened. At least three individuals were arrested.
Among those detained was Irungu Houghton, executive director of Amnesty International Kenya. Amnesty confirmed his arrest in a joint statement with three other organisations.
“This protest was a courageous stand against the killing of women, a demand for urgency in investigating these murders, and a call for perpetrators to be held accountable,” the statement read.
“The violent response by police … is a direct attack on Kenya’s democratic principles and the human rights of its citizens.”
Outside the August-to-October period, the National Police Service did not provide further details on previous femicide cases.
Figures compiled by the Africa Data Hub, based on media reports, indicate at least 75 femicides were recorded in 2022, compared with 46 the year before.
Researchers have attributed the rise in gender-based violence to entrenched patriarchal attitudes and inadequate legal protections.
Kenya has a history of violent crackdowns on protesters, a trend that has worsened under the current administration, which assumed office in September 2022.
In June and July this year, at least 50 people were reportedly killed by police during anti-government protests sparked by the government’s attempt to increase taxes.
As with previous clampdowns on protests, Kenyan authorities have broadly defended the police response to the anti-femicide demonstrations but stated that investigators are examining specific allegations of misconduct.
