US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman has broken silence over rising cases of femicide in the country.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Whitman declared her support for Kenyans who are raising their voices against the vice, which has become rampant in the recent past.
"I stand with the courageous Kenyans speaking out to #EndFemicideKE," she stated.
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In January alone, over 16 suspected cases of femicide have been reported, the most notable entailing that of Pastor Kanyari's sister Starlet Wahu and that of 20-year-old Rita Waeni.
Others include Harriet Moraa, Nalvin Museti, Stella Adongo, Grace Wangari, Bridget Achieng, Rachael Wambui, Sarah Wairuri, Maureen Achieng and Assumpta Wanjiru among others.
Kuria speaks on femicide
This comes a day after Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria issued a warning to Kenyans operating short-term rental spaces outside the Airbnb platform and other platforms authorised in the country, following increased cases of femicide in the rental spaces.
Kuria warned that not every short-stay space is operated under the Airbnb platform, which makes the know your customer (KYC) policy hard to implement.
"The government is very concerned about growing cases of crime and murders, mostly targeted at women in short-term rental spaces. Whereas most of these spaces are termed as Airbnb, they are not transacted through the Airbnb platform and thus there is no Know Your Customer (KYC) data collected, obviously a major security exposure. The government will crack down on people offering such services outside the Airbnb or other authorised and licensed platforms," Kuria stated.
Airbnb is an American company operating an online marketplace for short- and long-term homestays and experiences. The company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking.
On Saturday, January 27, 2024, a section of women groups and men across the country held peaceful protests against the prevalence of femicide in the country.
