Attempts by the family members to cover up cases of femicide have been termed as the major impediment in pursuing justice for the victims.

Mary Mwangi, the coordinator of Murang’a Stars, a group that advocates for women’s rights in Murang’a said some families are opting to sweep the matter under the carpet and the cases go unreported.

Mwangi said with the major culprits implicated in the cases being husbands and lovers, the family blocks the prosecution of the culprits curtailing justice for the victims.

Also, the majority of women fail to report assault cases because the perpetrators are either their partners or close family members and they shy away from exposing them in public fearing the stigmatization.

Many culprits

Speaking during a sensitization forum in Murang’a, Mwangi said this is a loophole that many culprits are using to escape facing the law and go scott free.

“Some femicide cases are not reported and the family members will give a different narrative to avoid having the matter taken to court and this is a major concern to us,” she remarked.

“In Murang’a we have had about 15 cases of women who have been killed in a span of one year but the number can be higher because some are not recorded,” added Mwangi.

The group, she said, has been doing massive sensitization against gender-based violence which has been rampant in the area in a bid to end the trend.

She however said  the funds which the government had failed to release to aid in the campaign against femicide is yet to be disbursed and thus very little that can be done.

“The president had said he will release Sh100 million to the groups fighting femicide but we are yet to get anything to aid in the campaign,” she added.

Mwangi proposed the establishment of safe houses for GBV victims where they can be hosted temporarily while undergoing counselling.

She however said there is need to put more efforts in curbing the cases adding that the ultimate goal should be to have a violence free society.

“This trend of having our women killed or assaulted has to come to an end and we have to put more efforts to stem it,” she said.