NAIROBI, Kenya – Members of the National Assembly have sounded the alarm over the escalating cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) across the country, calling for urgent legislative reforms, improved enforcement, and collective national action to combat what they described as a growing crisis.
The outcry followed a statement delivered in Parliament by the Chair of the Committee on Administration and Internal Security, Gabriel Tongoyo, in response to a question by Kericho Woman Representative Beatrice Kemei, who sought clarity on GBV trends in her county.
Tongoyo disclosed that Kericho County alone recorded over 100 GBV cases in just four months — between April and July 2025.
The cases include two femicides, nine rapes, three gang rapes, two sexual assaults, and 77 incidents of child defilement.
“This is a serious problem in our society. These numbers from Kericho are not isolated — they reflect a nationwide trend,” Tongoyo told the House.
The statistics ignited a heated debate, with lawmakers calling for immediate and far-reaching measures.
Kemei urged her male colleagues to back women legislators in the campaign against GBV, arguing that the crisis could not be resolved without bipartisan and cross-gender unity.
“If we do not get support from our male counterparts, we will not go far in this fight. SGBV affects everyone in one way or another,” she said, blaming delayed court cases and police laxity for worsening the situation.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula condemned the violence in the strongest terms and issued a scathing rebuke of perpetrators.
“Men who prey on women and children are cowards. If you have a liking for girls in uniform, buy your wife the uniform and admire her wearing it. Leave our children alone,” he said, urging MPs to formulate tougher penalties for GBV offenders.
Lawmakers across the political divide expressed concern over the country’s inadequate response to GBV and femicide.
Kirinyaga MP Njeri Maina advocated for the creation of SGBV-specific courts in all magistrates’ courts and criticised police complacency.
Teso South MP Mary Emaase called for more funding for grassroots advocacy efforts, saying current allocations disproportionately favour counties represented by women.
Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda echoed the need for grassroots awareness and education, stressing that combating GBV must be a “collective responsibility.”
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya added, “As men, we must dignify ourselves and take a firm stand to protect our women and children.”
The parliamentary debate comes on the heels of alarming new data from the Presidential Technical Working Group on GBV and Femicide, which estimates that GBV is costing Kenya an estimated Sh40 billion annually.
The group warned that the absence of a specific legal framework on femicide is undermining efforts to prevent and prosecute such crimes.
The task force called for urgent legal reforms to define femicide as a distinct and aggravated form of murder, separate from ordinary homicide, citing the rising cases of women being killed due to their gender.
“We have done our research and found there is no legal framework on femicide. What exists is the general offence of murder under the penal code,” the task force said during a public engagement forum in Kwale County.
According to the group, sexual abuse cases rose 8% from 535 in 2023 to 578 in 2024, further underscoring the urgent need for reform.
