Women’s rights activists have raised concern over Parliament's approval of Gender CS nominee Hannah Cheptumo after her “troubling” comments on femicide.
The activists under the Coalition Against Sexual Violence said, "Cheptumo lacks deep understanding of gender-based violence and women’s rights”.
On Monday, during the vetting by the National Assembly Committee on Appointments, Cheptumo said educated women who are killed in short-stay apartments are looking for money.
“They are educated, but those are looking for money. You know a girl has many needs," she said.
Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health executive director Jedidah Maina said Cheptumo’s words are a gross mischaracterisation of the femicide problem.
“It amounts to victim-blaming, suggesting that women are responsible for their own violent deaths. This is not only factually incorrect but also deeply offensive and harmful,” she said.
Last year, Kenya recorded 725 femicide cases, translating to 2.66 deaths per 100,000 women, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
This equates to about 47 women losing their lives each week. Around 75 per cent of these murders are perpetrated by individuals known to the victims, including intimate partners, relatives or friends.
Wangu Kanja, founder of Wangu Kanja Foundation said femicide is rooted in deeply entrenched patriarchal attitudes and systemic failures.
“These failures include and begin with harmful cultural norms that normalise and excuse violence against women, such as the attitude reinforced by Cheptumo. No woman deserves to be killed, period,” she said.
During vetting, the CS nominee was hard-pressed to articulate preventive measures that need to be undertaken to resolve the femicide crisis.
Centre for Rights Education and Awareness executive director Wangechi Wachira urged the National Assembly to prioritise laws and policies that protect women and hold women accountable.
Some of the laws include the Sexual Offences Act, the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act and the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act.
“Dear Kenyans, women’s lives are on the line. Please join us in demanding an end to femicide and all forms of gender-based violence, beginning with a strong and clear rejection of Ms Cheptumo’s nomination. This is a societal problem that requires a collective response,” Wachira said.
“We also call for the withdrawal of harmful policies, like the National Policy on Family Protection and Promotion, that perpetuate victim-blaming."
The CS nomination and vetting come in the midst of an ongoing petition to declare femicide a crime. The petition by Usikimye Kenya is calling on the government to legally define femicide to ensure proper tracking and accountability; strengthen laws and policies to prevent killings and protect women; guarantee thorough investigations and justice for victims; and increase funding for survivor support services.
On Tuesday, the vetting committee endorsed the appointment of Cheptumo and Geoffrey Ruku (Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes) to lead the critical government ministries.
The clearance was done in accordance with Article 152(2) of the Constitution, the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, and the National Assembly’s Standing Orders.
Wetangula signed the Committee’s Fifth Report on April 15, with the National Assembly stamping its official receipt on the same day—marking the formal adoption of the recommendations. However, the CS got approved by the MPs unanimously.
