Kenya’s Femicide Crisis: Justice Eludes Victims as Cases Mount

Two years after Kenyan athletics champion Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death, the prime suspect, her husband Ibrahim Rotich, was released on bail and has since disappeared—an incident activists say highlights the country’s failure to protect victims of gender violence. Tirop, a two-time bronze medallist in the 10,000 metres world championships, was murdered in October 2021. Her husband was arrested a day later in Mombasa, 800 kilometres from the crime scene, after a dramatic manhunt. Despite concerns from the family’s lawyer that he was a flight risk, Rotich was granted bail in November 2023. He has since absconded and missed three court hearings, violating his bail condition to report to police weekly.

The victim’s father, Vincent Tirop, said the decision to release Rotich “struck like a thunderbolt.” “We feel betrayed by the same system we thought would help us get justice for our daughter,” he told AFP. The family’s lawyer, Richard Warigi, said his attempt to block the release failed after the investigating officer argued Rotich had the right to bail after two years in custody. The suspect’s disappearance has deepened the family’s frustration and raised broader concerns over the justice system’s handling of femicide.

Activists argue that if justice fails in such a high-profile case, the situation is likely far worse for less visible victims. “It’s a failure of the police, a failure of the judiciary and a failure of our government,” said women’s rights activist Rachael Mwikali. Zaha Indimuli from the Silencing Women Project cited “complete negligence” in how police handle femicide cases, including inaccurate record-keeping and a lack of support for victims. Inspector General Judy Lamet rejected the criticism, stating that police receive gender-based violence training and that a toll-free line is available for victims.

Despite some government action, systemic challenges remain. Kenya has opened three gender-based violence courts since 2022, but according to Amnesty International’s Zaina Kombo, the country’s forensic labs and prosecutors are overwhelmed. The Silencing Women Project reports it takes about four years for a femicide case to conclude in court. Kombo attributes the delays to a “lack of political goodwill” and described progress as moving at a “snail pace,” despite President William Ruto’s promise to form a gender violence task force. “Kenya is still a patriarchal society,” she added.

Public frustration over the rising femicide cases has boiled over. In December, a peaceful demonstration against femicide in Nairobi was met with tear gas and arrests. The Silencing Women Project recorded 170 femicides in just 10 of Kenya’s 47 counties in 2023, calling it “the deadliest year on record for Kenyan women.” Femicide, often involving partners or family members, remains a persistent threat in a society where activists say institutional responses fall short.

Earlier this month, a candlelit vigil was held at a university near Nairobi after one student was attacked with a machete and another’s body was found in a water tank. Organiser Diana Nekesa said the turnout of male students was a promising sign. “I can’t say that the majority of (male) students were supporting us, but a good number came,” she said. However, some male students denounced the vigil, reflecting what Nekesa described as a mindset “rooted in the masculine domination” that continues to challenge efforts to combat gender-based violence.