The President of the Kenya University Students Organization (KUSO), Antony Manyara, has petitioned the National Assembly to urge President William Ruto to declare both issues as national disasters. The petition, received by the Clerk of the National Assembly on November 15, 2024, underscores the urgency of addressing these crises as the country continues to witness a disturbing rise in violence against women.
The petition calls on the National Assembly to compel President Ruto to declare femicide and GBV a national disaster due to their alarming prevalence. Manyara argues that such a declaration would highlight the gravity of the situation and facilitate the mobilization of resources necessary to address the problem effectively. According to his petition, which references Article 119 of the Kenyan Constitution, any citizen has the right to petition Parliament to address issues of national importance. Manyara emphasizes that this declaration is not only critical for raising awareness but also for spurring immediate action from government agencies and civil society groups.
Manyara’s petition highlights the urgency of addressing the growing femicide crisis. In recent months, Kenya has seen a disturbing number of cases in which women and girls have been killed in cold blood, often by intimate partners or family members. These murders have sparked public outrage and calls for the government to do more to protect women. The KUSO President’s petition stresses that femicide, alongside other forms of GBV, is a violation of human rights and goes against the principles enshrined in Kenya’s Constitution, particularly regarding equality, human dignity, and the protection of marginalized groups.
The petition also brings attention to the broader issue of GBV, which includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as harmful cultural practices like female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage. Manyara calls on the government to treat GBV as a crisis requiring urgent intervention, much like other national emergencies such as natural disasters or disease outbreaks. By declaring femicide and GBV national disasters, the government would be sending a strong message that violence against women is unacceptable and needs to be tackled head-on with both legal and social interventions.
President William Ruto himself has previously expressed his concern about the rising femicide cases in the country. In early November, he called on security agencies to take stronger action against perpetrators of femicide and GBV. During a speech on the issue, Ruto acknowledged the dire situation, noting that many women and girls in the country have been killed in brutal circumstances. His remarks were in response to a growing public outcry over the increasing number of femicides, which have sparked protests and demands for justice across Kenya.
In his petition, Manyara also invoked the Kenyan Constitution, which guarantees the protection of human rights and freedoms for all citizens, including women and girls. He emphasized that laws, including customary laws, must be in line with the Constitution, and any acts or omissions that contravene it are invalid. By highlighting this constitutional duty, Manyara stresses the need for the government to take firm action against all forms of violence that infringe on the rights of women.
Furthermore, Manyara reiterated the need to promote social justice, inclusivity, and equality. He urged lawmakers to act swiftly, invoking the spirit of the Constitution to protect the marginalized and vulnerable members of society. He called for national conversations on the prevention of GBV and femicide, suggesting that such a declaration would be a crucial first step in addressing the root causes of these abuses.
The petition has received significant attention from civil society groups, human rights activists, and the general public, all of whom are urging the government to take swift and decisive action to protect women. The National Assembly now faces the critical task of considering this petition and pushing for President Ruto to declare femicide and GBV as national disasters.
As the debate unfolds in Parliament, the hope is that the government will prioritize this issue and take comprehensive action to curb the rising levels of femicide and gender-based violence in Kenya. Manyara’s petition represents a growing call for the protection of women’s rights and for society as a whole to take responsibility for safeguarding the lives of its most vulnerable members.
