Protesters calling on Kenya's president to declare a national crisis following 97 femicides in three months were met with tear gas and arrests on Tuesday. Fed up with the trauma and tragedy of mutilated and tortured bodies, protesters took to the streets of Nairobi demanding police do more to stop gender-based violence. Femicide has long been an endemic problem in the country, yet the targeted murders of at least 97 women due to their gender from August to October represent "a staggering toll even in Kenya," reports the New York Times. That's up from 75 recorded femicides in 2022, per Al Jazeera. Police noted an alleged serial killer, accused of killing 42 women since 2022, had inside help in escaping custody.
President William Ruto committed $770,000 for a campaign to end femicide after a November report highlighted the 97 cases and "the brutality in which these femicides are carried out," but protesters say that's not enough. They want more money for the cause and a special category of crime to address gender-motivated killings, per the Times. Hundreds of women marched toward parliament, chanting "stop killing women," "shame on you," and "teach your sons," per Al Jazeera. The outlet reports the protest was peaceful and it's unclear why police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least three people were arrested, including Irungu Houghton, executive director of Amnesty International Kenya, per Reuters.
One protester told the AP she suffered a neck injury at the hands of police. "It is very sad that I was injured while championing for women not to be injured or killed," the woman said. "If the president is serious about ending femicide, let him start by taking action on the officers who have brutalized us today." In a joint statement, Amnesty International and the Law Society of Kenya said the "violent" police response was "a direct attack on Kenya's democratic principles and the human rights of its citizens." This comes after police in Kenya opened fire on antigovernment protesters over the summer, killing at least 60 people, per Al Jazeera. (An Olympic runner was a victim of femicide in September.)