Govt. Partners with CAK to Track Femicide Suspects Using Mobile Transactions
The Deputy Government Spokesperson, Mwanaisha Chidzuga, on Tuesday, November 5, announced decisive measures following a high-level stakeholders’ forum addressing the surge in femicide cases across the country. Key figures at the meeting included Principal Secretary for the State Department of Gender & Affirmative Action, Anne Wang’ombe, Senior Economic Advisor to the President, Moses Kuria, and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Eliud Lagat.
Chidzuga’s statement highlighted a plan to monitor phone transactions and certain types of communication in collaboration with the Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK) to track down potential perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Kuria revealed that these measures will include monitoring short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb, which have been frequently linked to femicide cases in recent months.
In her address, Chidzuga stressed that Airbnb itself is not to blame for the rising cases of femicide. “We should not be blaming Airbnb because it is a legitimate business platform. It’s the criminals misusing it who are giving it a negative reputation. Through proper regulations, these individuals will be apprehended,” she clarified.
Further, Chidzuga urged Kenyan families, particularly parents, to be vigilant about their children’s social media interactions and the dangers of associating with strangers online. She also called upon the public to actively participate in the upcoming “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign, set to begin on November 15, rallying Kenyans to unite against this escalating threat, stating that women should no longer have to live in fear.
The concern surrounding femicide has reached new heights since DIG Lagat’s recent disclosure that 97 women had been murdered in the last three months alone. This alarming statistic sparked widespread outrage, particularly from women’s rights organizations and legal advocates, including the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association and the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya), both urging the government to take swift action.
President William Ruto also weighed in during the swearing-in of Kithure Kindiki as Deputy President on Friday, emphasizing the importance of immediate intervention. “Recently, we’ve witnessed shocking murders of our girls, mothers, and women. Let me be clear: the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and all investigative agencies must step up against these criminals,” he asserted.
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Govt. Partners with CAK to Track Femicide Suspects Using Mobile Transactions
