Nakuru County Government Champions “END Femicide” Campaign on Valentines Day

Written by Nabwire Naholi and James Alumera

Nakuru County Government has taken a proactive stance against femicide by leading an awareness campaign on Black Valentine, aiming to eradicate the societal scourge.

The Deputy Governor, H.E David Kones, inaugurated the ceremony, highlighting the pressing need for communal solidarity in denouncing the tragic loss of young lives to femicide. He stressed the importance of vigilance in personal relationships, both in the digital and physical space.

The campaign, branded “End Femicide,” emphasized the gravity of the issue with impactful hashtags including #Janjaruka! Every Life Matters, #SayNoToFemicide and Androcide, #UnitedAgainstFemicide. These tags aimed to get public attention and action towards ending femicide.

The event commenced with a spirited road procession through Nakuru County CBD, actively engaging the residents and reinforcing the core messages of the campaign. The procession served as a visible symbol of collective effort and solidarity against femicide.

Youth and Sports CECM Josephine Atieno while amplifying the campaign message in the procession called for youth involvement and the community at large in effecting change and building a more just and safe society.

Between 2017 and 2024 over 700 reported cases of women killed have occurred – this is according to the Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KHRC),

“By acknowledging and incorporating these statistics into the campaign narrative, stakeholders and the public need to take action in addressing the issue of femicide to bring meaning change” reiterated Waziri

The event has been possible through the collaborative efforts of various partners,a Midrift Hurinet, Nakuru City Board, Nakuru Players Theatre, Classic Events, Mount Kenya University Nakuru Campus, Rift Valley Institute of Business, Hyrax Hills Museum, Tribeless Youth, Nakuru Box, Ajiri Program Nakuru National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) and Rotaract.

The DG was joined by County Secretary Dr. Samuel Mwaura, CECM Sports Josephine Atieno, CECM Health Roselyne Mungai, City Board Manager Gitau Thabanja, Chief Officer Medical Services Dr. John Murima, Chief Officer Education Rosemary Kimani, Director Youth Affairs Josphat Kimemia among County officials.