NAIROBI, Kenya — The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has raised alarm over what it describes as an escalating crisis of femicide and gender-based violence in the country following a series of high-profile killings involving women and girls.
In a statement issued on May 13, the Society condemned recent incidents of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and suspected femicide, warning that the increasing frequency and brutality of attacks against women reflect a dangerous national trend.
The Society singled out several recent cases that have sparked public outrage and renewed calls for accountability, including the killing of Alice Riang’a, a 20-year-old student at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, whose body was discovered in Bondo on May 10 after she had gone missing four days earlier.
According to the statement, postmortem findings reportedly indicated sexual assault and blunt force trauma.
LSK also cited the killing of Consolata Githinji in Kilimani, Nairobi, the murder of Davine Kwamboka in April 2026, the death of Anita in Nakuru following an alleged domestic assault, and the killing of Krystabel Anyango, also known as Bella, whose death attracted widespread public attention.
The lawyers’ body said the cases pointed to a growing pattern of violence targeting women and girls, including intimate partner violence, suspected abductions, sexual assault, and delayed investigative responses.
“These incidents are not isolated occurrences. They reflect an alarming and dangerous trend of violence that continues to threaten the lives, dignity, safety, and constitutional rights of women and girls across the country,” the Society stated.
LSK President Charles Kanjama and the Society’s leadership said violence against women constituted a gross violation of human rights and undermined constitutional protections, including the rights to life, dignity, equality, and security.
The Society called on the national government to treat femicide and gender-based violence as an urgent national crisis requiring immediate and coordinated intervention.
It further urged the National Police Service and investigative agencies to ensure prompt, transparent, and victim-sensitive investigations into all reported cases and to hold perpetrators accountable.
The Society also called on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary to prioritise and fast-track gender-based violence and femicide cases to ensure timely justice for victims and affected families.
LSK further appealed to Parliament and other state agencies to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks on prevention, survivor protection, and access to justice.
County governments were urged to expand shelters, psychosocial support services, legal aid, and public awareness programmes for survivors and people at risk.
The Society also challenged educational institutions, religious leaders, families, and community organisations to confront harmful societal attitudes that perpetuate violence against women.
LSK reiterated the need for the immediate implementation of recommendations made by the National Femicide Task Force and announced that its Gender Committee would continue monitoring cases across the country while appointing advocates to watch briefs in ongoing matters.
“The continued loss of women’s lives through violence cannot and must never be normalized,” the statement said.
The rising number of reported femicide cases has triggered public protests and intensified debate over the effectiveness of Kenya’s justice system, law enforcement response, and broader protections for women facing violence.
