ELDORET – In a significant demonstration, over 200 women in Eldoret marched to protest the rising cases of femicide. They urged the government to take decisive measures to prevent further killings. The protest, led by Uasin Gishu County Assembly Member Mercy Chepkurui, spanned six hours, starting at 7 a.m., with participants voicing their demand for an end to femicide.

According to Kenya News Agency, the majority of whom were college students in Eldoret, their rallying cry was ‘end femicide and a woman is everything’. Dressed in white T-shirts, they expressed their refusal to remain silent in the face of increasing violence against women. The demonstrators called on President William Ruto to heed their pleas and protect women from senseless murders.

The protestors voiced their frustration, stating they were not “chickens to be slaughtered,” a reference to recent violent incidents in parts of the country. They highlighted the traumatic impact these murders have on the victims’ families, with whom they empathized.

Chepkurui emphasized the need for men to change their attitudes towards women, particularly regarding financial support, such as paying rent or educational expenses, and the mistaken belief that this grants them control over women. The women pointed out that murder cases involving young women often receive less attention due to gender biases. They asserted that femicide should be recognized as a national disaster and addressed with the utmost urgency.

The demonstrators now look to the State for support, stressing that the President, as a father, understands the pain of families who have lost loved ones to such acts of violence.