Police in Kenya have fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of people who gathered to protest against gender-based violence and femicide.
Protesters blew whistles and chanted “stop killing women” as they marched in the capital, Nairobi, on Tuesday, and police repeatedly dispersed the crowds. The rally gathered pace as hundreds of women marched towards parliament, with many chanting, “shame on you” and “teach your sons”.
At least three people were arrested, the Reuters news agency reported.
The protests in Nairobi were peaceful and it was not immediately clear why the police intervened. There was no immediate comment from the police.
Protests also took place in the cities of Mombasa and Lodwar, according to videos posted on social media.
Among those arrested in Nairobi was Irungu Houghton, executive director of Amnesty International Kenya.
Amnesty International and the Law Society of Kenya released a joint statement condemning the police actions, saying it sent a “chilling message” to peaceful protesters.
“The violent response by police, including the arrest of these peaceful protesters, is a direct attack on Kenya’s democratic principles and the human rights of its citizens,” the statement said.
One activist, Mwikali Mueni, told The Associated Press that she suffered a neck injury at the hands of police officers.
“It is very sad that I was injured while championing for women not to be injured or killed. If the president is serious about ending femicide, let him start by taking action on the officers who have brutalised us today,” she said.
Last month, President William Ruto committed more than $700,000 for a campaign to end femicide.
Following the publication of a report by the Kenyan National Commission for Human Rights in November, Ruto labelled gender-based violence “tragic and unacceptable”.
Silent epidemic
For years, Kenya has experienced an epidemic of gender-based violence. Between August and October, at least 97 women in Kenya were killed in femicides, according to the National Police Service.
The police do not provide statistics for earlier periods, but according to figures compiled by the Africa Data Hub, there were at least 75 femicides in 2022 and 46 the year before.
According to Kenyan charity The Gender Violence Recovery Centre, one in three Kenyan women have been abused by the age of 18. Acts of abuse mainly come from intimate male partners or male family members.
Patriarchal views and insufficient legal protections are major factors behind Kenya’s high levels of gender-based violence, researchers say.
Police in Kenya have also faced criticism for their actions during antigovernment protests, when at least 60 people were killed in June and July.
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