NAIROBI, Kenya – It is now emerging that Nairobi, Kiambu and Nakuru counties are still in the lead with the highest incidences of female murders in the country.
This is according to a new survey conducted by The Silencing Women Project, a groundbreaking initiative by Odipo Dev and Africa Uncensored, documenting femicide in Kenya.
The second report of this kind released on Monday; January 27, 2025, showed that 2024 was the worst year on record for femicide cases in the East African region.
What are the other counties leading in femicide-related cases
The report shows that while Nairobi remains the leading county for femicide, counties like Kisii, Kitui, Meru, and Nyeri are now among the top ten affected areas.
“2024 was the deadliest year on record for Kenyan women, and unfortunately there’s no sign of things slowing down,” said Patricia Andago, the lead researcher on the Silencing Women project.
Andago said there is a need for women to feel safe anywhere they are.
“Currently, they (women) face the greatest danger at home,” said Felix Kiprono, Head of Media at Odipo Dev:
This release builds on the project’s initial findings from its first launch in January 2024 and underscores the worsening state of violence against women in Kenya despite increasing public outcry.
HABARI: Wanawake 15 tayari wameuawa katika siku 22 za kwanza za mwezi huu wa Januari 2025. Kulingana na Daily Nation, #Kenya inakabiliwa na ongezeko kubwa la mauaji yanayolenga wanawake. #FemicideKE
The report seen by Y News, based on an analysis of over 930 female murders (628 cases meet UNODC’s definition of femicide) in Kenya since 2016, draws from court records and media reports to provide fresh insights into patterns of violence against women.
It also examines case judgments issued between 2016 and 2024, giving a detailed perspective on how these murders occur and the progress of justice in addressing them.
Why justice remains elusive for victims of femicide cases
The report shows that female murders and femicide-specific rose from 31 in 2016 to a staggering 170 in 2024. This is double the annual average recorded from 2016 to 2023.
The report also shows delays in justice persists for victims.
“Justice remains slow, with an average case duration of 4.01 years from court filing to verdict in 2024—up from the 3.6-year average between 2016 and 2023. Of the 219 court judgements between 2016 and 2024, 185 suspects were convicted while 34 were acquitted,” the report reads.
Also, it is emerging that convictions increased by 118% in 2024 from the previous year, the highest level since 2018.
“The average sentence was 20 years until 2023 but increased to 23 years in 2024. The leading killers of women remain largely unchanged over the years: Intimate partners (husbands or boyfriends) at 70% as per 2024 convictions data,” reads the report in part.
More women were killed in 2024 than in any other previous year. A report (tinyurl.com/Africa-Uncenso…) by @odipodev, in partnership with Africa Uncensored, reveals that 170 women lost their lives in 2024, excluding the Kware murders. This figure is double the annual average recorded…
On the other hand, the report revealed that methods of murder have become more intimate and brutal, with notable increases in sexual assault (7%) and hacking incidents (6%).
“The use of easily accessible tools, including household items, highlights the intimate nature of these crimes,” the survey shows.
Why young women remain vulnerable to GBV
According to the documentation, young women bear the greatest risk: Women aged 18–35 remain the most vulnerable, accounting for more than half of all cases.
“The killers are mostly young men. 66% of the perpetrators presented in court from 2016 to 2024 were between 18 and 35 years old,” the organisations behind the survey disclosed.
As Kenyans ponder this new chilling report, Odipo Dev and Africa Uncensored firmly believe that accurate and timely data is essential for effectively combating femicide and all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
To this end, the organisations created Silencing Women, a living database that meticulously documents femicide cases from 2016 onwards.
“We are dedicated to sharing our findings with all relevant stakeholders to facilitate a collective response to this critical issue,” the two organisations said in a joint statement.
