16 Days of Activism special : Reject Online issue 74

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

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December 10, 2012

ISSUE 074

A bimonthly newspaper by the Media Diversity Centre, a project of African Woman and Child Feature Service

Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!

The big question Has Kenya normalised violence?

By Jane Godia As we mark the 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence and the International Day of Human Rights, concerns are being raised whether Kenyans have normalised violence.

During the 16 days against gender based violence which started on November 25th and is ending today December 10th, the country has seen some horrendous types of violence being reported with the latest of a man killing the wife, eating the liver and forcing his three year old child to drink her blood.

With these high cases of different violence taking place in Kenya, questions are emerging whether this activism should not just be there all year round. This means that throughout the 365 days which translate into 12 months in a year and within 24 hours every single day of the week, Kenyans should observe non-violence.

Heightened conflict

This gender based violence which has been heightened with conflict has made this country to have a different brand which as one being with high insecurity.

“Even during peace times there are many cases of domestic violence, sexual violence, and rape which go unreported,” says Betty Kaari Murungi, a gender and conflict expert.

In conflict even boys and men are not spared as they are also subjected to violence and that is why experts say

that sexual-gender based violence occurs as a by-product of the collapse in social order. According to Murungi, cases go unreported because institutions that are supposed to provide accountability do not function maximally. These include the police and judiciary among others.

Campaign

Sexual violence in and after conflicts is one of the subthemes in this year’s campaign under the theme; From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!

This year’s campaign marks the third year of advocacy on the intersections of gender-based violence and militarism. The other sub-themes are sexual and genderFrom top: Participants flagging based violence committed by state off the caravan to celebrate the 16 agents, particularly the police or days of Activism against Gender military and proliferation of small Based Violence at Uhuru Park. arms and their role in domestic Survivors of gender based violence violence. in hospital. A man beats his wife Murungi explains: “We see by the roadside in Kisumu town. incidences of sexual and rape inPictures: Reject Correspondent crease during violent conflict and after it has been stilled because the conditions already pre-exist prior to we have normalised violence against the conflict that facilitate violence women that we that there is too much of it in and after conflict,” Murungi against women.”

It is the continuum of violence explains. She cautions: “If we do not stop domestic violence then all other that makes things difficult.

Culturally many communities acts of violence become normal with have stigma attached to rape and no one taking action.”

Murungi notes that even though violence yet violence does not just Continued on page 4 happen during conflict. “It is because

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

What next for survivors?

By JANE GODIA

As Kenyans look forward to the 2013 General Elections, women are an apprehensive lot. They are worried that they may see a repeat of what happened in 2007-2004. They are demanding for protection because it is their constitutional right.

Women and other survivors of sexual and gender based violence are saying that it is important that the State and Government assures them of protection.

According to Betty Murungi, a Gender and Conflict Expert, the five years after the 2007 elections and before the 2013 polls are worrying.

“Already the country is experiencing preelection violence that is being seen taking place,” says Murungi citing the killing of 42 policemen in Baragoi recently. “How could they have been

killed without any response?” she poses.

Murungi is asking that women demand protection because it is their right. She is also calling on the women to demand information on what kind of measures the government has put in place to protect them and girls.

“The gravity of offences being committed now far exceed any other that we have seen in this country,” says Murungi. “The 2007 experience shows that we cannot bury our heads in the sand.”

At the society level in order to deal with sexual violence and rape certain institutions need to be put in place. “We need to address violence against women within the framework of patriarchy and understand why women continue to suffer this violence,” says Murungi.

She adds: “We have a good constitution but we need to have a conversation within our societies to understand why this is happening.”

Murungi stresses the need to breakdown structures that allow for women’s exploitation and insubordination.

According to Murungi where people do not get justice it becomes difficult to reconcile.

Survivors need justice that will give them the reassurance that it will never happen again.

“Women would just like an apology over what happened. This is why we are insisting on truth telling organisations such as the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission,” she explains.

According to Murungi women do not want to be restituted to their former positions. They want structural changes. This means putting in place laws and policies that are being changed and institutions transforming.

“We need to have special courts to deal with vulnerable groups so that victims can come forward and have justice.”

A woman grieving the loss of her loved one during the post election violence.

Picture: Reject Correspondent

Peace slogan penetrates deepest parts of sprawling slum

By FAITH MUIRURI It has been said that to get to the people, you have to speak to them in the language that they understand most. This has proved true among the people living in Mathare where a peace slogan has penetrated the deepest parts of the sprawling slum.

Conceptualised in the popularly spoken sheng language, the Tia Rwabe Zii slogan which loosely translated means “Say no to KSh200” is geared towards ensuring that the youth are not paid to instigate violence during this electioneering period.

The slogan was coined around the events that followed the 2007 General Election where protests sparked by the disputed presidential poll results spread through the slums around Nairobi and in to areas of the Rift Valley. As many as 1,300 were killed and over 300,000 displaced across the country.

On the surface, violence appeared ethnically motivated but reports by the Kriegler Commission and human rights groups indicted senior politicians and officials were responsible for organising and harping on local grievances to fuel violence for political ends.

In a bid to exorcise the ghosts of a shameful past, the slogan seeks to discourage the youth from accepting hand-outs from politicians in order to unleash violence.

Pillars

The slogan identifies youth and women among the most important pillars of peace as they were the hardest hit when the violence broke out.

According to Julia Njoki, chairperson of Mathare Young Mothers and Youth Peace Initiative, the slogan was hatched after they realised that it is the two groups that suffered most during the violence.

“While the youth were key players in the violence, women became victims of brutal attacks and rape when the skirmishes took an ugly turn,” explains Njoki.

She says that the violence and horror that ravaged the country in the post-election violence of 2007-2008 remains etched in their minds, is still vibrant and chilling.

“The overwhelmingly negative psychological, emotional, physical and economic impact of the violence on all Kenyans and more specifically on women has not been forgotten,” Njoki recounts.

The group that comprises 26 members mainly targets youth aged between 18-24 as they are

more prone to actions that give rise to impunity.

“We have for a long time allowed politicians to fan ethnic emotions and promote personality issues which drift away from important issues,” Njoki observes.

She says the slogan seeks to discard the culture of hand-outs and encourages both women and youth to be more creative at initiating small scale sustainable income generating projects instead of allowing themselves to be used as political goons to fan tribal animosity.

“We are encouraging the youth to engage in income generating activities instead of relying on seasonal hand-outs from politicians which only serve in creating anarchy during the electioneering period,” notes Njoki.

She reiterates that the youth must discard the culture that compromises their integrity and causes them to substitute merit with short lived fortune.

“The youth must get up and go work. If they are working, they will never accept KSh200 handout from politicians,” Njoki observes: She adds: “We cannot get up every day and depend on politics for hand-out.”

Objectives

“We have to decommercialise politics and leadership and this must start by de-commercialising voting,” she says. Njoki notes that the electoral process has in the past been replete with cases of voter bribery largely blamed on ethnic tensions and impunity intertwined with high levels of political manipulations.

She says that time has come for the youth to reject the KSh200 which is too little to make any meaningful change in their lives.

“Politicians have a field day during the electioneering period and only need as little as KSh200 to entice and incite us to violence but as soon as they ascend to positions of power and they forget our plight and this explains why there is so much hopelessness in us after elections,” Njoki notes.

According to the youth and young women this election gives them an opportunity to elect a strong leadership that is hinged on the principle integrity and respect for human life instead of relying on seasonal hand-outs from politicians in the area.

The slogan that they are resounding offers the youth safe spaces or platforms to preach peace and promote peaceful coexistence in the slums ahead of the elections.

The group will sensitise the youth on conflict

An aerial view of Mathare slum. Peace campaigning in the slum will make it a reality during and after the elections. Picture: Henry Kahara prevention processes and push for their inclusion in peace negotiations, ensure the protection of women and children from sexual and gender based violence, and importantly, to respond to the needs of women.

Njoki says the group has stood the test of time in remaining voice of reason calling for sanity and peace to prevail at all times and forestall an escalation of violence by remaining relevant, reachable and responsive.

Rebecca Njeri who is a member of the group says the campaign is gradually taking root and has made tremendous in-roads in the implementation of peace initiatives in the area which was a hotspot during the last elections.

She says that the group has been using public forums and women’s groups as a strategy to create awareness on the need to denounce the culture of hand-outs.

Slogan

“We have in the past witnessed youth hired by politicians unleash terror to their opponents,” says Njeri. She adds: “This time round those who think that they will use the youth to cause violence are in for a big surprise.”

The slogan has been tailored in a way that is empowering to both the youth and women to chart their political destiny without being dragged into cheap campaigns that defraud them of their future.

“The slogan may be viewed as a contribution to making peace in the slums a reality during and after the elections and ensures that they actively participate, respond and are found at the negotiation table at all levels,” explains Njeri.

The initiative strives to engage the target group in activities that unite, harmonize and bear reconciliation between ethnic and community groups, promote their rights, social justice and

cross-cultural understanding as well as dialogue in as far as peace building is concerned.

“We have confidence that the initiative offers a viable and self-sustaining point of entry in creating awareness on peace,” Njeri notes.

Challenges

However, the mission to sell the slogan in the slum area is not a walk over. She says the campaign is already grappling with challenges of gaining support from the church and opinion leaders, even as the target group cites high rates of unemployment and rising poverty levels among reasons why they accept hand-outs from politicians.

Apart from widespread dismissals that the idea is farfetched, she says that the campaign has to equally contend with a financial dearth, solely relying on contributions from like-minded youth and women to finance its operations.

However, Njeri says the group will not relent in its campaign to empower women and the youth who have for a long time been shortchanged as the political class engage in fraudulent campaigns, fan tribal hatred and make irresponsible promises.

She says that the slogan is a wakeup call to politicians to address longstanding grievances over unemployment, rampant drug abuse, inequality and other issues.

She is also convinced that boosting education among the youth will come in handy to save what is now fast becoming a lost generation in Mathare.

Njeri warns that if the youths from the area do not embrace peace, it will be difficult for them to favourably compete with their counterparts from other regions, especially during this historical time when the country is devolving into county governments.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

3

Lest Kenyans forget

By Rosemary Okello As we mark the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence today just few months before the Kenya’s General Election scheduled for March 4, next year, brings memories of the events that took place during the 207/2008 Post Election Violence In 2007, the women of Kenya joined the world to celebrate the 16 Days in 2007 whose theme then was; “Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles, End Violence against Women.

And as they celebrated the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence then, they were hopeful that the 2007 General Election was going to be the bridge which will ensure that all the international instruments Kenya is signatory to will be implemented.

They also hoped that the obstacles they were facing in addressing violence being meted against them was going to be addressed.

It, therefore, came as a shock to majority of women who found themselves within the Internally Displaced Camps in January 2008 that not only were they victims of the very violence they were advocating against just few weeks before, but all the laws and instruments would not help them.

Urge for peace

In their unfortunate situation, the more than 100 women who were then in the Jamhuri Park who were interviewed by this writer had this to say: “I don’t know even where to begin, I have lost my two children, my husband and even everything I ever worked for has been burnt,” said Dorothy.

All Beatrice could say is: “I am just

asking for peace, peace, please gives us peace we beg. Look at us, we sleep on the floor at this cold place, we don’t know how long we shall be here. We had plans as parents to take our children to school, all we need is to be assured that peace will eventually come and I can stay with my neighbour as before. It is my neighbour who has been like my brother and sister and they have helped me more than anyone.”

Prayer

Grace narrated: “Simple things like sanitary towels had become like gold, the things I could buy so easily had now become so remote.”

Youths during the 2007/2008 post election violence. Majority of women and children were displaced in Pascalia, a mother of IDP camps due to the violence. Pictures: Reject Correspondent nine was praying and hoping that the two leaders But as the women, are raising their places the most affected are women was going through its darkest mowould come together and dialogue so that Kenya could return ments that it was only politicians who voices that enough is enough, they are and children, majority having been to what it was before. “Currently the could withstand their desperate faces quietly worried that a repeat of 2007- sexually abused.

All over the country even though future of our children is in jeopardy and the hapless voices of thousands 2008 might re-occur.

Women are worried that our lead- there is a lot of peace work going on and having lived in Kibera for 23 years, Kenyans who had been internally disers are behaving as if it is business as within the communities and various I have never seen such a thing in my placed in most parts of the country.

Five years later, some of them are usual. None of them has been able to institutions, NGOs, CBOs and Faith life. Can we live in harmony as Kenyans because I cannot say that I have still in the camps, many children who spare even a moment to remember Based Organisations are at the forebecome an enemy with my neighbour were born as a result of rape from the the IDPs as they go around looking for front to ensure that the up-coming because she comes from another tribe, ordeal are now five years old. Many votes and to always remind Kenyans elections take place in a peaceful enI want to stay with everyone like be- children who saw their parents being that we need to be our brothers’ keeper. vironment. There are concerns that killed, raped or violated in any other we have forgotten what took place five fore. I really miss my neighbours.” years ago.

And some of them questioned the way are living with that pain.

This year’s 16 Days of Activism According to Charity, “Many a worth of their vote, “I kept asking myWith signs of violence already self, since I cast my vote, my life has against Gender Based Violence is tak- written all over the country, women times we are behaving as if it is busiturned into a living hell, is this really ing place under the theme; From Peace are already experiencing aggression ness as usual and yet many lives have what my vote was worth?” questioned in the Home to Peace in the World: within their homes not to mention been changed forever as a result of the Let’s Challenge Militarism and End those in Tana River, Garissa, Baragoi, post-election violence that took place Anita.

They said at that time when Kenya Violence against Women.

Mombasa and Eastleigh. In all these in Kenya.”

Signs

Peace champions wary elections ‘might be violent’

By ODHIAMBO ORLALE When conflict occurs, women and children bear the biggest brunt. And it is for this reason that the biggest women’s organisation in the country has mobilised peace champions in the 47 Counties to ensure that there is no repeat of the post-elections violence of 2007-2008.

The conflict in the last General Elections left 1,300 people dead, over 300,000 displaced and property worth billions of shillings destroyed.

During the mayhem, women were most affected as they were sexually assaulted and raped, while others were maimed, killed or widowed.

According to Rukia Subow, chairperson of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation (MYWO), the peace programme is nationwide and is already on-going.

Subow expresses fears that the March 4, 2013 polls might also be violent unless the Government addresses the early warning signs coming from all over the country, citing tension, flare-ups and the recent violence and massacres in Pokot, Tana River, Mombasa and Kisumu counties as examples.

In order to avoid a repeat of the post-election violence, Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation has 78 women groups across the country actively included in the District Peace Committees and with their leaders serving as peace champions.

The organisation, which just marked its 60th anniversary, a day after the International Day on for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 26, 2012 had invited Malawian President, Joyce Banda, and Nkosazana DlaminiZuma, African Union Secretary General as special guests to the historic event in Nairobi.

Through the women’s networks, Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation has been able to get early warnings in the trouble spots across the country.

According to Subow they were aware of the Tana River clashes even before it took place. They

had shared the intelligence information with the authorities who failed to act in good time. The conflict left over 100 men, women and children as well as security officer dead. However, the majority of these were women and children.

Threats

In neighbouring Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale counties, the Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation peace champions revealed that Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) leaders had instilled fear on the residents and authorities by threatening anyone who would register to participate in the forthcoming polls. They said women have been threatened with being battered and rape if they defy the Mombasa Republican Council directive.

“But there is a glimpse of hope,” says Subow.

Most sitting women MPs are members of the organisation with some chairing the district Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation branches.

Higher Education minister, Prof Margaret Kamar, is the provincial chairperson of the organisation in Rift Valley while Cooperatives Assistant minister,

Jebii Kilimo, who is also the Marakwet East MP, is a peace champion in her region.

Other leading lights are Public Service minister, Beth Mugo, who is the Dagoretti MP, and her Water Development counterpart, Charity Ngilu, the Kitui Central legislator; they are serving as district Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation bosses.

Indeed, several members of the organisation double as chairpersons of District Peace Committees and they include Mary Mariach in West Pokot, Abdia Hussein in Isiolo, Anastasia Mutoko in Nairobi and Zainabu Ali in Garissa among others.

When Subow, who has a Master’s Degree in Peace and Conflict Management took over the leadership of the organisation in 2006, her number one priority was to enlarge and strengthen its peace programmes at the grassroots. Looking back, she is happy that their nationwide campaign which included peace caravans on the eve of the last elections was well received by the public. However, she regrets that there was still violence as the results were announced thereafter.

Since then, Maendeleo ya Wanawake has car-

Everyone wants to take those seats and the bigger tribes and clans are insisting that they have a right to lord it over the others due to their numerical strength.”

— Rukia Subow, chairperson, MYWO

ried out more peace campaigns in the former hot spots and is working on new ones that have emerged.

According to Subow, the main cause of recent flare ups in the country have a lot to do with the new Constitution and some of the gains that are entrenched therein for women and the marginalised groups.

She cites devolution as a time bomb that is being used by some big tribes and clans to lord it over the others as far as sharing of leadership positions is concerned in the six elective seats to be contested. Subow has already declared her interest for the Wajir County women representative seat on a party ticket that she is yet to reveal.

She says: “Everyone wants to take those seats and the bigger tribes and clans are insisting that they have a right to lord it over the others due to their numerical strength.” She adds: “Our peace programmes are at the grassroots where we offer basic peace training to our members led by peace champions in each of the 47 counties.”

Programme

The peace programmes being conducted by Maendeleo ya Wanawake include early warning sign detection; what positive messages to carry out; and how to handle conflicts and violence in a humane and practical way.

At the national level, Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation sits on the National Steering Committee for Peace Building that is under the Office of the President and is chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Special Programmes.

The organisation also sits in regional bodies like the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in the Conflict Early Warning and Early Response committee. Subow is the chairperson of Economic Social Commission of Africa Union in charge of its peace and security committee in Eastern region.

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ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

Inequality in gender representation is a recipe for conflicts

By JOHN NDETA The latest gender gap index report ranked Kenya women poorly compared to their counterparts in East Africa. Kenya is ranked 72, behind Tanzania (46), Uganda (28) and Burundi (24) in a study of 135 countries globally.

The World Economic Empowerment annual Global Gender Gap report released in November in Geneva; Switzerland indicates that Kenyan women fair badly on political empowerment.

Despite increased prominence of women’s issues in public limelight, progress towards gender equality is still painfully slow in Kenya. This is the case when it comes to elections. Gender biases and myopic cultural beliefs have conspired to muscle women out of political leadership over the years.

But the concept of gender equality stretches far back in history when in 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the 1979 UN Convention voted to abolish all forms of Discrimination against Women.

Constitution

In 2010, Kenyans too voted for a new constitution and in it; chapters six and seven are perhaps the most important chapters to consider when talking equal representation. Kenya is a multiparty State and representation of the people is an essential facet in the functioning democracy.

Democracy is defined as “leadership by the people, for the people and to the people”. However, not every one of the 40 million Kenyans can be a leader at the same time.

The citizenry get to participate directly in leadership through referendums and electing people to represent them at various stages. This representation is made possible through an electoral process as the one that Kenya is preparing for come March 2013.

Through elections, citizens choose

the kind of leaders they want, political parties they deem fit and political ideologies that appeals to their needs, hopes, aspirations and expectations.

This gives an open platter for both men and women to offer themselves as candidates to be elected leaders. Every Kenyan aspiring to hold elective office is, therefore, free to vie for any seat they aspire for so long as they meet the specifications outlined in the Constitution.

Rights

Chapter Six of the Constitution provides detailed information on how people shall be represented in government processes and systems.

It outlines the general principles for the electoral system including freedom of citizens to exercise political rights; equity of men and women where ‘not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender among others’.

Electoral systems must be seen to be free and fair; upholding the rule of law and fostering gender parity. Electioneering process should be free from violence unlike what was witnessed in Kenya in 2007 where more than 1000 people died and over 300,000 displaced due to electoral violence.

The principle of equality of men and women where not more than two-thirds of public office are from the same gender forms the thrust of my discourse.

Perception

Culturally, women in Kenya constitute a subordinate, disadvantaged and hushed group who are routinely treated as inferior and who face sexual harassment, harmful cultural practices, stigma and discrimination.

Indeed many of the problems that confront women political aspirants have to do with cultural perceptions about the role of women in society.

When women declare their po-

Participants at a past training. The cultural socialisation of Kenyans does not encourage women to participate in politics. Picture: Courtesy AWC litical candidature, it amounts to a self-inflicting venture where physical violence and verbal abuse become part and parcel of her daily encounters.

Women politicians have in the past been subjected to electoral violence and all manner of malpractices and abuse.

A close scrutiny of the plight of women politicians’ challenges point to cultural socialisation of Kenyans which does not encourage women to participate in politics. This trend seems to be changing with constitutional provisions but a lot has to be done if at least a third of those to be elected are to be from either gender.

Politics has in the Kenyan context has been viewed as the domain of men. In the past, women politicians were often likened to prostitutes and called all manner of names and mudslinging.

Most ethnic communities have over the years, inculcated in their offspring assumption that leadership rightfully belongs to men. In patriarchal societies, men, traditionally, are the elders and leaders and thus; make wide-ranging decisions that affect their families and the community at large.

When male politicians are given Cabinet positions, their communi-

Culturally, women in Kenya constitute a subordinate, disadvantaged and hushed group who are routinely treated as inferior and who face sexual harassment, harmful cultural practices, stigma and discrimination.

ties often elevate them to the status of elders and accord them the right to use symbols of leadership and eldership such as walking sticks, knobkerries, beaded or feathered head gears and traditional attire. This elevation to eldership and leadership status in their communities rarely happens to women.

Decision making

But under the new constitutional dispensation, the women of Kenya have a chance of getting into decisionmaking organs such as Parliament to add more weight to gender equality. Equality of gender in leadership is crucial because fairness and the perception of it between different sexes is crucial in reducing gender based violence.

More and more women need to come out not just to contest but to support their womenfolk contesting for various elective posts at the County and national level come March 2013.

The writer is the Media and Peace Coordinator; Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK)

Has Kenya normalised violence?

Continued from page 1 Naivasha was being pointed out as a hot spot in the post-election violence of 2007-2008, the town was already the capital of rape and only a few people were taken to court.

There are already laws and legislations that should be dealing with sexual violence but these are not being executed.

“We already have a Sexual Offences Act which is quite progressive, but there is a problem in its implementation,” says Murungi. She notes: “We have not come to think that sexual violence against women is a crime that needs to be tackled.”

According to Murungi, there was a lot of sexual violence and torture in the post lection violence. “There was violence that included mutilation which was intended to diminish a community,” she notes.

Looking at the case of the Rwanda, Murungi says that sexual violence was used as a means of committing genocide. If the victims did not die, their reproductive organs were mutilated. Others ended up in forced pregnancy because one

community wanted women from the other community to bear their children. “After rape many women were forced to have children because abortion is illegal or there was no access to facilities that would enable them to procure an abortion,” Murungi explains.

Today the United Nations looks at rape and sexual violence as instruments of genocide. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) found in the case of Jean-Paul Akayesu, the first person to be charged in the tribunal, it was found that that rape was used as an instrument of genocide. The Akayesu case recognised that rape is an extremely grave crime as it can constitute genocide and a crime against humanity, providing that all the other elements for each of these crimes are met.

Ongoing rape

Rape and sexual violence are being experienced all over Africa. According to Murungi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo rape and sexual violence has been going on for a very long time.

She says: “In the Democratic Republic of

Congo the number of women have been raped in the last 20 years is astonishing including by peace keepers in what the United Nations calls sexual exploitation.”

Murungi notes that women are being exploited by peace keepers in exchange for food and protection.

Where there are rebel activities, women and children end up being the most affected as seen in Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Uganda and Sierra Leone among other countries.

According Murungi, the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Kenya and the Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre (GBVRC) noted that during the post-election violence some of the rape was opportunistic and some were planned.

“Sexual violence was being committed by security forces where the protector became the attacker,” says Murungi.

She observes that lack of protection, community policing and protection measure facilitate rape and sexual violence. There is also lack of adequate gender responsive measures to protect women and girls from rape should conflict occur.

“As a country our prevention measures are limited. We are unable to predict and take adequate prevention measures to ensure that rape does not occur,” Murungi notes. She adds: “There has been no accountability so impunity multiplies whether it is the police, militia, humanitarian workers or intimate partners.”

Special courts

Murungi says to deal with cases of sexual violence things must be done differently. “There should be special courts to prosecute rape cases,” she notes. Currently things cannot work because the police do not have technical facilities to investigate rape and sexual violence. In conflict access to health facilities becomes a challenge and reporting to police is difficult especially if the perpetrator is a security officer.

“We do not have a forensic laboratory where women can go and access medical facility or police to have evidence collected within 72 hours,” Murungi observes.

In the end a lot of awareness needs to be created for women to understand that sexual violence and rape is an offence committed against them.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

5

Fears of gender based electoral violence rife

By Jane Godia As the clock ticks towards the March 4, 2013 General Election, gender based violence remains a ghost that is hovering around as women hold their breath hoping that all will be well within the newly expanded political dispensation.

Women representation in Kenya has been low because of what they claim as violence, threats and intimidation.

Many women have withdrawn from elective political races because they have received threats, have been ashamed in public by false allegations or have been physically harassed or beaten for attempting to vie for a political seat.

Emmaculate Musya, a women leader from the slums of Kibera recalls all too well when she attempted to vie for a civic seat with the sprawling Kibera slums. “I had indicated my interest for a ward seat and I knew that I was going to win because of the huge following behind me. However, this was not to be as my opponent sent goons who physically intimidated me,” recalls Musya.

“Before I knew it, I found myself standing on my pants. All my clothes had been ripped off my body.”

Vulnerable

Being left naked in broad daylight in front of people, not only left Musya vulnerable but she feared for her life because then she did not know what to expect. Many thoughts ran through her mind as she wondered whether her attackers were going to kill or rape her.

The incident killed her morale and she had no option but pull out of the race.

Musya’s case is not isolated. She is just a true picture of what many women who have attempted to vie for political positions and have shown an indication of being stronger than their male counterparts have faced. They have often met with threats that are not only thrown to them but also to members of their immediate family.

A woman in Machakos town remembers the spine chilling call that warned her that she would be raped with her daughters if she did not give up her political ambitions. She was forced to sleep out of her home that night as the chilling words of the phone call kept ringing in her years. “We are going to rape you and your daughters if you continue with this dream,” she remembers.

As we mark the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, sexual and physical violence are some of the huge threats that face women during electioneering time.

The violence is not only meted on women aspirants but to women voters as well. The violence starts during party nominations and is extended to campaign period, election day and even in the post-election.

Party nominations are heavily violent as they determine whose name will be in the final ballot paper. Women who have attempted to get party nominations have been shocked to realise that while they are holding the results of the win in their hands, the party nomination certificate is already in the pockets of the rival.

Many of them say that nominations are marred with violence as agents of various people will push and shove to displace them from handing over their winning results.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign that has been used as an organising strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence

Women at a past workshop on election participation. Women representation in Kenya has been threatened by violence and intimidation. Picture: Courtesy AWC against women by raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels. It also looks at strengthening local work around violence against women and establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women. It provides a forum in which organisers can develop and share new and effective strategies as well as demonstrate the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women

Implementation

The campaign also creates tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.

The United Nations defines violence against women as any act of genderbased violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

Electoral conflict and violence can be defined as any random or organised act that seeks to determine, delay, or otherwise influence an electoral process through threat, verbal intimidation, hate speech, disinformation, physical

assault, forced “protection”, blackmail, destruction of property, or assassination.

Women remain targets of electoral violence because it is the men who control the storage of identity and voters cards. The men also control women’s political choices and determine who will vote for whom in the elections. Cultural perceptions of women and leadership have made them targets of electoral violence. The situation is compounded by failure of the state to provide security for women during the poll period.

Speaking in Kapenguria, West Pokot during a Media Dialogue organised

by African Woman and Child Features under the Peace Initiative Kenya project women said that they do not have any political rights. According to Alphina Lokortudo, women have a lot of problems with regards to elections. Speaking of how they are discriminated against during elections, she said that those who dare disobey the husband by voting for a candidate that is not his preferred choice will get severe beating and also be at a high risk of being sent away from their marital home.

“Men go to the trading centres have a drink and it is from there that they decide who is to be voted for. As women we are threatened and if his preferred candidate loses in the evening you will get a thorough beating as you will be ac-

cused of being the reason for that loss,” says Lokortudo.

Her sentiments are echoed by Jennipher Losiakhim who says that women have no freedom because the men keep possession of their identity and voters cards to ensure the woman does as he pleases.

“We do not keep our own voting cards. It is our husbands who keep the voter’s and identification cards for us.

Even ATM cards and mobile phones are controlled by men. We have not got our rights yet,” says Losiakhim.

She notes: “He will only give the woman the ID and voter’s card on the voting day and specifically at the polling station when she is about to enter the voting booth. He is also the one who will decide who she will vote for.”

These sentiments were echoed in Eldoret where AWC held a forum with women aspirants under a project that is sponsored by USAID.

Aspirant

Rose Chesire who is aspiring for a ward seat in Uasin Gishu says: “There are many challenges that women face forcing them to keep away from politics. The first challenge is culture followed by physical, psychological and sexual harassment by male rivals. Family is another challenge, the husbands says if you want to vie you can do so

“I had indicated my interest for a ward seat and I knew that I was going to win because of the huge following behind me. However, this was not to be as my opponent sent goons who physically intimidated me.”

— Emmaculate Musya, a women leader

outside this house. I have not vied for a seat but know what they go through.”

This is the experience that Elizabeth Kimaiyo went through as she aspired to vie for a civic seat in 2007. She was accused of many things including “sitting on her husband”.

Says Kimaiyo: “While I was sleeping in my house at night my rivals were using money to fight me at night meetings and drinking pubs with the elders. On the voting day I went to ask the elders to give me their blessings instead they asked me to give them money, which I did not have. However, I got blessings from the women.”

Challenges

It will be no different in the forthcoming elections. Already women are experiencing challenges and indications of threats and intimidation are rife. Many are being told not to vie for other elective positions because they have the women county representative seat.

It is already indicated that nearly 30 counties have signs of violence occurring out of the 47. Only 11 are on green, showing they will be peaceful while the rest are in the red, meaning they are likely to see high incidences of violence.

When violence occurs during electioneering period it is women and children who bear the brunt.

As the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence comes to an end today December 10 that also marks the International Human Rights Day, women are saying that the state must put in place organs that will protect them from political violence and intimidation. They are saying that political parties must respect the rule of law and party agents must not in any way be used to threaten and beat up aspirants.

It is only then that elections and the country will be peaceful.

6

End Violence Against Women!

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Mothers jump ethnic barriers to preach peace from within their homes

By CHARLES NGENO Women from the 42 plus tribes of Kenya have come together to form a group called 42 plus Women for Peace to help champion peaceful co-existence amongst all communities.

The group was formed following the violence that was witnessed in the 2007 general elections that they say would have been avoided had they been empowered to uniquely engage in actionoriented programmes on conflict management and peace building.

The group strives to contribute to the national and grassroots processes aimed at advancing integrated and holistic approaches in search for enhanced peace, democracy and good governance in Kenya.

According to the group’s chairperson Janeth Njeri, 42 plus Women for Peace exists to thrive for a better world of peace, stability and prosperity for all.

Resolution

“This is possible when women’s energies are harnessed collectively through diverse strengths, entrepreneurship, peace building and talent creation. By so doing we can realise a true working nation that is peaceful and democratic,” says Njeri.

The group resolved to have a representative from the 42+ tribes in the country in order to have a national outlook.

“Our ability to live and work to-

gether should teach others how people from diverse backgrounds can live together. The message we are putting across is that we belong to one tribe called Kenya,” says Miriam Hassan, the group’s treasurer.

Most of the group founders are gospel artists who were provoked by the events and aftermath of the post-election violence. At first their aim was narrowed to preaching peace among all the tribes in Kenya but later they expanded their agenda and started embarking on a mission to mobilise Kenyans from all communities to live in peace.

“Apart from educating communities on their rights through peace meeting campaigns, seminars and road shows, we also make them see the importance of inter-community harmony and cohesion. As mothers we have the power within us to preach peace right from our homes,” says Caroline Wanja, the group’s organising secretary.

Wanja notes that they have committed themselves to reach out to all Kenyans of all tribes, religion and class to embrace peace.

“We want to encourage dialogue as a tool of promoting negotiation and resolution of conflict. We must strengthen and co-ordinate community based peace initiative among the youth and women by creating awareness and sourcing for capacity building trainings,” says Raliya Ali Mohammed, group’s Event’s Organiser.

Recently when the group toured Narok on invitation by Maasai Mission Outreach their performance moved the congregation. At first when they sang in the Maa dialect those who did not understand the language remained seated but as each member from the different tribes took up the song all stood and danced to the tuned. When they finished singing the congregation demanded for more.

Asked why they chose music, the group says music is a powerful tool of passing out the message. They believe that music is a crowd puller.

“Once we get the crowd we engage them in serious talk on the importance of peace, says Njeri.

Symbol

The group has performed in different parts of the country. They performed in Suswa Peace Forum, Peace rally at Kawangware 56, at Oxfam during the Mkenya Daima Peace Forum and participated during the God Bless Kenya Campaign at Uhuru Park.

Members don white dresses that symbolise peace with the Kenyan

The 42 plus Women for Peace group rehearsing for their performance. They plan to establish a peace resource centre in every county. Picture: Charles Ngeno national colours at the hem and the sleeves to “embolden the fact that we are all Kenyans”.

In their endeavour to preach peace the group has partnered with the Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Internal security, Chemi Chemi ya Ukweli, Urai Trust, District Peace Committees, Brand Kenya and Kituo cha Sheria.

The journey has not been free of challenges. The group does not have enough funds to facilitate their activities. They have been relying on member’s contributions and income from sale of their CDs. “Some churches have been very supportive. We have had cases of churches giving their offering for this noble cause,”” says Njeri.

Some politicians have attempted to own the group for their political campaigns. They have repulsed such attempts by making it known clearly that they are non-partisan.

“Once politicians hear this, their as-

sistance becomes hard to come by,” says Wanja. Some communities stigmatise women and when they visit such communities their message is not taken seriously.

Gains

The group is happy that gains are being made if the response they get after their visits is anything to go by. They are ready to soldier on despite the challenges and call all women to join them.

“We have an open membership policy for all women in Kenya regardless of their tribe, religion, region, origin or residence, race or status,” says Njeri.

The group plans to establish a peace resource center in every county. Among its plans is the establishment of a production house for local artists and a newsletter for peace.

“We want to reinforce our income generating activities through the yet to be established 42 plus Trust,” explains Wanja.

Peace initiative launched as ghost of post-election violence looms large

By JANE GODIA As we mark the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence which culminates today on the International Day of Human Rights the ghost of the 2007-2008 postelection violence that hit Kenya still looms large.

“We have to make a choice about the country we would like to live in and a country we would like to leave for our children,” said Atsango Chesoni during the launch of Peace Initiative Kenya peace project in Nairobi.

The Executive Director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission reminded Kenyans that, by the sheer fact that well respected people who were popularly known as eminent persons left their homes and spent months for us to achieve peace, should not be taken for granted.

“If we cannot be bothered enough to ensure that peace prevails in Kenya during the up-coming elections, and then we have no audacity to tell people to leave us alone,” explained Atsango.

Appeal

It is against this background that women all over the country as well as peace advocates are appealing for calm as the country is headed towards the General Elections in March 2013. It is also in this regard that the Peace Initiative Kenya project was initiated. According to Jebiwot Sumbeiywo, Chief of Party Peace Initiative Kenya, the citizens of this country can manage life in a non-violent way pointing out that Kenya was spending too much time on settling conflicts and this was compro-

mising growth of the nation.

“Peace Initiative Kenya is important because development of the country depends on a community and society that is non-violent,” said Sumbeiywo.

Running under the theme End Gender based Violence: Promote Peace and Gender Equality, the Peace Initiative Kenya project will run in six counties carrying the same message.

According to Jerotich Holding, Country Director International Rescue Committee, the organisation has taken the route of leading the way in ‘from harm to home’. Holding observed that the Peace Initiative Kenya project will involve working for peace before, during and after elections.

“Through Peace Initiative Kenya it is hoped that there will be a marked reduction in gender based violence before the March 4 elections,” explained Holding.

She noted that when violence breaks out, it is women and children who suffer most and when they are not raped they are evicted.

Together with its partners, Peace Initiative Kenya will reach out to communities offering legal and psychoso-

cial support to victims. It will seek to protect women and children.

“Peace Initiative Kenya will leverage grassroots knowledge to bring peace and see that the country is free of gender based violence,” said Holding.

This was reiterated by Monica Azim of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) who noted that it is in elections that violence against women and girls, men and boys is increased.

She said gender based violence remained deeply entrenched in Kenyan society noting that the 2007-2008 post-election violence is a live example that saw over 800 women raped.

“The post-election violence of 2007-2008 did not spare anyone. Although women and children bore the brunt of the violence, boys and men were not spared in the conflict that took an ethnic line,” she observed.

Ethnicity

Her sentiments were echoed by Atsango who reiterated that ethnicity is all about identity and has no problem. However, she noted that ethnic chauvinism is the problem as it is

what led to communities being killed and especially the young boys.

Chesoni noted that statistics confirmed a grim reality that gender based violence took the worst form of in the post-election violence.

As the Peace Initiative Kenya project was launched, it remained clear that gender based violence was deeply entrenched in the country. Other than physical violence, sexual violence and rape are tools that have been used to terrorise families.

Azim noted the importance of women participating in peace building to ensure that women and children are protected and guaranteed to live in a non-violent environment.

In lauding the Peace Initiative Kenya project, Azim reiterated the importance of community partnerships and networks in peace building because they create a multi-network approach should violence occur. “We are encouraging communities to speak out loud should violence occur,” said Azim.

This was reiterated by Chesoni who noted that despite the cycles of violence that have occurred in this country, there are people who have

“We have nothing to be proud of in the way we conducted ourselves as a country. It is time for us now to be carrying out peace building in other countries instead.”

— Atsango Chesoni

continually worked for peace. “Despite the challenges we are facing as a nation, they are committed and have never given up,” she observed.

Chesoni noted that the work in peace cannot be enumerated. “It is not work to be paid for.”

She warned that if the country continues the way it is then nothing will be left for generations to come.

“If we cannot be bothered to have a country to hand over to our children, it is a big shame. It is a bigger shame that we have old people leaving their homes to come and mediate peace in Kenya just for us to be peaceful,” Chesoni noted. She added: “We have nothing to be proud of in the way we conducted ourselves as a country. It is time for us now to be carrying out peace building in other countries instead.”

Human rights

Chesoni recalled how women were tortured, beaten, maimed, killed and reaped by both police and militia groups.

“Some were infected with HIV, other lacked access to anti-retroviral, and this left many on the path to death,” said Chesoni.

She noted that violence against women is a violation of human dignity and that rape has a psychological impact that one lives with for the rest of their lives. The post-election violence of 2007-2008 was not just about violence, it was also a loss of human dignity.

Violence against women knows no geographical boundary. “It is a continued reality that women are at risk of violence even in times of peace,” Chesoni said.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

7

Transformation from a dreaded Baghdad Vigilante Operative to a Peace crusader

By OLOO JANAK The re-emerging pattern of violence in Kisumu County, is reminiscent of the history of the city in the 1990s when the fight for the return of multi-party politics spawned a tough group of young daring men christened ‘Baghdad Boys’ that controlled the city at the time.

‘Baghdad Boys’ sprung up in 1992 at the height of the clamour for the rerun of multi-party politics by a group of seasoned Kenya politicians and young activists known as ‘the Young Turks’ led by Kenya’s first Vice President, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

One of the key leaders of this outfit was Audi Ogada, whose mention and appearance at political rallies or other public functions made those who knew him and the group cringe in fear.

But nearly the decades on, Audi has transformed into a very influential and respected peace crusader who has often helped to cool tempers among the different warring groups currently featuring in the Kisumu. He is even leading the Inter-parties consultative forum that is meant to bring a semblance of tolerance in the town.

The Baghdad Boys has also since transformed into an outfit involved in peace initiatives – now going by the name “Baghdad For Peace (BAFOPE)”, with a number of income generating projects in the town. Most of the initial members of the group are largely settled and respectable family heads.

Fear

Some of the groups now emerging in Kisumu, including the “American Marines” and China Squad” are merely filling the void left by the older generation and are more into business rivalry and to some extent, and only occasionally, aligning to politicians. It is feared criminal elements have infiltrated the two or more groups now operating in the town, posing grave security concerns.

The Baghdad Boys emerged as an energetic group of young people enthusiastic about joining the campaign for change in Kenya and also keen to offer “security” to Jaramogi Odinga and his team at a time when they were subjected to harassment by state agents who were bent on frustrating the reform advocates.

The group named itself “Baghdad Boys” out of admiration for the then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his soldiers who at the time were defending the capital –Baghdad –from a determined onslaught of American soldiers in 1991-92.

“We were a group of brave young people, keen to join the fight to remove (the retired President) Moi from power by forcing change in the Constitution as Kenya was then a one party state with only the ruling party Kanu,” says Ogada in reference to the period.

He says former Rangwe MP and one time detainee, Prof Joseph Ouma

Muga inspired them during meetings in Kisumu with a powerful rendition of Kenya’s history and the suffering Kenyans had gone through at the hands of the first President, Jomo Kenyatta and later Moi.

Change

The group later attracted some of the disgruntled officers of the defunct Kenya Air force who were dismissed following the attempted coup against then President Moi in 1982. A large number of officers from the Luo community who were in the Air force at the time were either summarily dismissed or jailed after going through court martial.

Disillusioned, angry and jobless, many of them from Nyanza congregated in Kisumu at the time looking for jobs and readily joined the band wagon for change. Later as part of the security detail of the Ford Kenya politicians leading the crusade for change. “ In Kisumu, it was the Baghdad Boys while in Nairobi, a similar group was called “Operation Moi Out (OMO)”. The two groups grew quickly in numbers to provide security to Jaramogi and the Young Turks and to ensure they moved freely from one part of the country to another without being stopped by the state security agents,” says Ogada.

At the time, Jaramogi and his team of Young Turks had their movements restricted by the Moi regime and could not address rallies or conduct any political activity. So the Bhagdad Boys in Kisumu and OMO in Nairobi would often engage into confrontations with security officers who often erected road blocks on their path.

“Our objective was to provide security to Jaramogi and his team, and we often physically removed police road blocks when they did not allow the team to attend to scheduled rallies,” he explained during a recent interview.

Talking to Audi Ogada, one gets vivid memories of the operations of the group; the tensions and violence that rocked Kisumu, which was their base. The group operated at different levels with the initial period, 1991-93, when all of them were united in the fight for what was then called the “Second Liberation”.

The death of Jaramogi in 1994 heralded a new phase for the group that immediately split following the schism in Ford Kenya with one wing being loyal Odinga’s son, Raila, now the country’s Prime Minster and the other gravitating towards the axis of the party led by James Orengo and Wamalwa Kijana.

At the time of Odinga’s death on January 20, 1994, Wamalwa was the party’s deputy leader and was elevated to act as the chairman pending party elections. Raila, then Deputy Director of Elections with former Nyeri MP Waruru Kanja as his boss.

These contesting views led to serious divisions in Ford Kenya, which inevitably split the Baghdad Boys into

two fiercely opposing sides that would often clash violently. Ogada was one of those who joined the Orengo- Wamalwa axis, and mobilised his wing of the youth group in support of his preferred side.

The most memorable occasion was in May 1995 when during the hotly contested party elections between Wamalwa and Raila factions, in Thika, Audi had his picture prominently carried in the media wielding and axe when chaos broke out and the Election aborted.

Audi, who was then working with the Kisumu Municipal Council, was sacked immediately. He faced many tribulations and was later to differ with party officials over a number of issues including the sale of party cards.

Attacked

“I was one time stabbed on the head in the streets of Nairobi. I used to be arrested frequently and locked in several times at Kodiaga prison, often for months over capital offences. I was denied bail and generally considered a bad element,” says Audi.

“The newspaper headlines, pictures and stories, together with what people said back home stressed me. I did not know how I would cope with this or if I would survive now that this was no longer being viewed as a party affair but as a betrayal of Raila and the Luo community,” says Audi.

As leader of the Baghdad team, another trying moment came in the form of battles in Kisumu town between the then Mayor, Lawrence Akinyi Oile, who was aligned to the Wamalwa side and Raila. The youths were further split occasioning frequent running battles.

“It was a difficult period in Kisumu with the youths fighting all the time on different sides of the political divide.

Some of the battles went out of Kisumu to political rallies in other parts of Nyanza,” remembers the reformed vigilante leader.

Within the ranks of the team, made as it were, of some former air force officers, were people with expertise in assembling petrol bombs and general physical combat. Some of their victims were maimed for life while others actually died.

Having lived through and participated in that violent life, Audi regrets the emerging violence in Kisumu again saying it poses huge security scare, especially as Kenya approaches the next General Election. He says there are many youth groups in Kisumu City operating in different estates and these could be misused by politicians.

It is understood that Kisumu, with a bulging population of jobless youths from Nyanza and Western Provinces has over 20 different groups operating from different “Bases” or “Barracks”.

And they go by various names, some local, others imported identities.

The “American Marines” adopted the name out of the admiration of the

Audi Ogada during the interview in Kisumu. H e believes that peace building and improved governance can help overcome Kisumu’s negative image of violence. Picture: Oloo Janak prowess of US soldiers and enjoy a higher profile than all the others and largely operate and own businesses at the main bus stage.

The “Chinese Squad” is considered a break-away group from the “American Marines” and is mainly in Kondele, the famous sub urban area located 5 kilometres from the city centre.

The rivalry between the two groups has recently peaked to worrying levels, rivalry, tinged with what many believe is both local and external political influence, and a largely compromised police force, which has been accused of abetting crime.

A recent transfer, of some senior officers and their replacement with a famed tough cop who was at some point credited with taming crime in the city has brought some hope to the residents. It is understood some of the criminals may have fled the city.

There are several other smaller groups scattered across the town. They include: Angola Musumbiji, Somalia, Kisoko Base, Nyalenda Base, Western Base, Kilo Base, Kondele Base, Car Wash Base, Corner Mbuta Base, Bus Park Base, Central Business District (CBD) Base, Container Base, Nyamasaria Base, among others.

Joblessness

Some of them are just groups that congregate and chat over daily political developments or wait for odd jobs here and there. But some have graduated into influential groups that often gravitate towards different politicians and may often be hirelings.

With the high level of joblessness and attendant idleness, many Kisumu stakeholders feel these groups often mobilise into a negative force each time there are problems or political issues in the town.

The many years Audi had as a youth operative involved in political and physical battles has taught him the value of peace. He says the period took a toll on him and his family.

“Of course I and others who were part of the campaign to bring about

multi-party democracy feel we played out part. It is the experience of those days that we are now using to try and create a sense of political tolerance in Kisumu and the Nyanza Region where for a long time we could not allow other parties to operate,” he says of his transformation.

As a peace crusader, Audi has been involved with different groups such as Peace Net Trust, Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC), National Council of Churches of Kenya and of course BAFOBE, where he is a founder member and trustee. Through these organisations, he has gone through extensive training on peace and conflict transformation.

Since 2009, He has been in charge of a “Peace Tent” erected at the main Kisumu Bus Terminus as part of the initiatives by Peacenet Trust to promote peace. At the tent, he and other peace educators engage the residents on peace and non violent approaches to resolving conflicts.

Intervention

Each time there is violence Kisumu, Audi is often among the first people to intervene to calm the crowds. Together with local leaders and CSOs, they have held a series of meetings, and continue to do so in a bid to reduce tension, arbitrate between competing groups and also seek government and political leaders’ intervention.

“We have been coordinating with various leaders and stakeholders to try to resolve the conflicts within Kisumu and the region amid a lot of challenges.

The Kisumu situation requires the active involvement of local leaders and a lot more political tolerance, and of course the creation of more job opportunities to help the youth spend their energies positively,” he says.

He believes sustained efforts at peace building, coupled with more economic opportunities and improved governance can eventually help Kisumu overcome its negative image of a violence prone city, which has affected the level of investment, and by extension the creation of job opportunities.

8

End Violence Against Women!

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Culture may impede women’s quest for leadership

By ROSEMARY OKELLO Despite the facts that many women are now coming up to vie for the various leadership positions as expounded by the Constitution of Kenya 2010, things are not any easy for them. They are meeting challenges that under the law are illegal.

Article 27 (1) states “Every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law;” However, in many parts of this country culture has been used to frustrate women’s quest for leadership.

Just like land ownership is still largely controlled by a customary system that ensures access is determined by men, so is leadership and the game of power which is seen as belonging to only men.

Patriarchal social system in which the male is the primary authority figure central to social organisation, and where fathers hold authority over women, children and property is what rules most communities in Kenya.

It implies the institutions of male rule and privilege, and entails female subordination.

Many patriarchal societies are also patrilineal, meaning that property and title are inherited by the male lineage.

Culture

Although the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, cultures has started rearing its ugly head in ensuring that women do not take leadership.

Culture remains one of the biggest impediments when attempting to address gender equality especially in relation to political leadership in Kenya.

For example, in North Eastern where clanism and elders rule and decide who becomes a leader, the women who came forward to vie for women’s leadership were loudly informed that the women’s representative seat should be returned back to Nairobi.

“If the seat is not taken back to Nairobi we shall appoint a man to it,” was the remark heard from the elders.

This forced the women to mobilise themselves aside saying enough is enough. The case of Ijara housewives who had gone through the training on how the Constitution can empower women is worth noting. They confronted the elders amidst threats of being cursed and decided, curse or no curse they would chart their own destiny. Even though eventually the elders agreed to include them in the meetings, this did not go down well with them.

In Pokot where women form part of the man’s property among the cattle, goat, sheep and children.

Here the women who want to vie are facing surmountable challenges. For culturally, a woman cannot speak in front of men while standing.

How then will she be able to vie for political position? How will she address the men and elders in a political rally?

Knowing very well that they cannot swim against the tide of culture and traditions, the women have devised a system where they have ensured to involve men to nominate them. Instead of them coming up to express their interest in the women’s seat, they are quietly talking to their men who go to talk to elders who then endorse them.

What of the other ordinary women? She has no right to possess anything including her national identity and voter’s card. These documents are kept by the man who will then ensure that they vote for someone who he has endorsed.

A Chief from West Pokot says: “I know your husband’s always tell you who to vote for. Once you come out from the voting area you talk among yourselves and the men get to hear that you went against them and majority of you are beaten during and after elections. My advice to you this time round, please vote whoever you want and keep it to yourself, don’t even tell your best friend.”

In Nyanza Province, the region that produced the first woman MP and mayor, is also grappling

Water and Irrigation Minister Charity Ngilu during her presidential launch. Women vying for various posts are facing surmountable challenges.

Picture: Reject Correspondent with the idea of electing women who are married.

The men keep on asking what will happen should the marriage to an elected woman break down. “If she divorces our son and goes back to her home, does that mean we shall be without a leader?”

The same fate also befalls the girls who are married elsewhere. In some parts of Nyanza, women who are vying for Governorship are being told that the seat too big and important for a woman to take charge. “We need men not women,” so they say.

Women as children

In Rift Valley, even though majority women MPs in the 10th Parliament come from there, women are regarded as children. When someone comes to a home and they find a woman and children, they say “they did not find anyone at home”.

In some areas, women are no supposed to sit on a chair when they are among men. They sit on the ground with their legs stretched. It is only then that they can address men. This cultural practice is affecting all the women who would like to vie.

In the Coast region, women are also not finding it easy. They are facing a lot of cultural and traditional barriers. Again, elders rule in this region and women have to go and seek permission from them.

Many a times women who are vying are seen as rebels and therefore the men in the society especially the youth become violent towards them.

Phoebe Asiyo, a one time Member of Parliament recalls that during her time she encountered both verbal and physical violence but this did not deter her. In the end she became the longest serving woman Member of Parliament.

The same fate befell Charity Ngilu when she was vying for Presidency in 1997. Many men were wondering how a woman could even imagine being the President of Kenya.

Already similar scenes seem to be replaying. Reports from all over the country indicate that culture and traditions are being use to target women who are coming out to vie various leadership positions.

In some case women are being asked for sex for nomination and if they refuse the youth are unleashed on them to cause violence as was the case of a woman Councillor in Siaya County.

Unless Kenyans engage effectively in providing oversight in the implementation of the COK 2010 in ensuring not less than two-third principle is achieved in the up-coming elections, it is clear that the values and objectives in the Constitution cannot be achieved without the people rethinking the role of culture and traditions in leadership structures.

Women appeal to the community to embrace female candidates

By BEN OROKO Women aspirants from Kisii are apprehensive about the negative influence of culture on the electorate.

Negative cultural stereotypes, compounded

by Gender-Based Violence (GBV) have been working against women seeking political leadership positions from the Gusii community.

Even though Article 27 (2) of the Constitution under the Bill of Rights, points out that men and women have the right to equal treatment including right to equal opportunities in politics, economic, cultural and social spheres, this is not the reality on the ground.

Since the promulgation of the Constitution in 2010, majority of women are more aware of their right to seek political leadership positions and how to package themselves as well as their campaign manifestos.

Rebecca Otachi, who is aspiring to be a parliamentary candidate for the newly created Kitutu Chache North Constituency regrets that some of the community’s outdated social-cultural stereotypes which discriminate against women seeking political leadership expose female aspirants to gender-based electoral violence since they are construed to oppose the dominant patriarchal culture.

Mandate

Otachi observes that such scenario not only suppresses women’s constitutional right to compete favourably with their male counterparts for political leadership it also threatens the country’s efforts to meet the constitutional mandate of ensuring that no gender will be

more than one-third in representation and decision-making.

“I am appealing to members of the Gusii community to shun negative cultural stereotypes and social prejudices which discriminate against women seeking political leadership positions since it hinders women aspiring for political positions,” says Otachi.

She notes: “It will be costly for the country to address the one-third principle through excess nominations of women to both the County and National assemblies, translating to unnecessary expenses in paying salaries and allowances to the members.”

She challenges the Gusii people to change their mind-set towards women and instead give them a chance to compete favourably with their male counterparts for political positions provided for in the Constitution.

Otachi says such hard stance against women aspirants is a recipe for political violence

during election campaigns.

“Our community should be sensitised that one’s leadership ability is not measured based on their gender and instead both men and women should be given equal opportunities to actualise their leadership ambitions without hindrance or discrimination,” Otachi pleads.

Otachi argues that women from the Gusii community should not be barred by the community’s outdated cultural beliefs which for many decades have discriminated and frustrated them from seeking political positions.

“Negative social-cultural stereotypes have for many decades frustrated women seeking leadership and with the COK 2010 women now have a chance to fight for their rightful place in politics,” observes Otachi.

Mary Orwenyo, who is eyeing Nyamira County Women Representative seat concurs with Otachi that negative gender-based stereotypes against women seeking political leadership

“Negative social-cultural stereotypes have for many decades frustrated women seeking leadership and with the COK 2010 women now have a chance to fight for their rightful place in politics.”

— Rebecca Otachi

from the Gusii community is likely to degenerate into electoral violence against women who are perceived to threaten chances of their male rivals.

Orwenyo predicts that the March 4, 2013 General Election is expected to attract the highest number of women aspirants in the country’s history.

Positive gesture

“It is encouraging to have many women participating and contesting various political seats in the General Election. This is a positive gesture in the country’s democratic process and more women should be encouraged to seek political leadership positions without being held hostage by gender-based cultural discrimination against women,” observes Orwenyo.

She says women face enormous challenges in their pursuit for political leadership citing gender-based electoral violence as a leading threat.

“I appreciate that the Gusii society is predominantly patriarchal and I expect women seeking political leadership from the community to encounter challenges including electoral violence and even making it through malepatronised party nominations and to the ballot box, let alone being elected for various political leadership positions,” observes Orwenyo.

She appeals to the community to shun gender-based electoral violence and instead restrain their supporters from unleashing violence against women aspirants.

“They should instead educate them on the need to be peaceful and tolerant to divergent political opinions, especially from women aspirants,” notes Orwenyo.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

9

Fear of women in West Pokot County to clinch leadership

By KAKAI MASEGA The high illiteracy levels and lack of money to register with political parties in the coming general elections has deterred Women in West Pokot County from vying for leadership positions.

The women are concerned that they will not make it because of the requirements. This is according to the new Constitution that requires aspirants to be educated and the political parties act nomination rules. Most of the women in the county who have been in leadership are not educated thus fear being locked out.

Most of the women now vying for County seats do not meet the education standards thus will lack money for registering themselves with political parties as required by the political parties act.

Led by Councilor Susan Aleo, Mary Lokeroko, Kapenguria member of parliament aspirant, Night Cherop, West Pokot County deputy Governor aspirant and the Pokot Council of elders women representative, they called upon Political parties, devolved Government and the law makers to intervene thus help in reducing the education level requirements.

They said that Pokot Women have for a long time been marginalised and

denied opportunities by men and have had their rights violated.

“Girls have not been given the opportunity to go to school,” said Aleo.

Speaking in Kapenguria during the Women Aspirants Workshop, The League of Pastrolists Women of Kenya Organization executive director Josephine Nashipae Sane said that many women from the pastoralists communities have not been given the opportunity to lead.

Nashipae said that many women from such communities will miss nominations and not vie for seats because the low education levels and lack of money for politics. “These requirements will greatly affect many women interested in doing politics,” she said.

Training

Nashipae added that The League of Pastoralists Women of Kenya will train women in Pokot and other marginalised communities on dealing with political parties and devolution.

She added that her organization will also train journalists working in the area to be in position to report issues affecting women. Nashipae reiterated that media has only been focusing on issues of cattle rustling, hunger and other ills forgetting to champion women issues.

Women at a training workshop on women aspirants in Kapenguria. Many women from pastoralist communities have been denied the opportunity to lead. Picture: Kakai Masega In the workshop, the aspirants were trained on strategic plans plus managing their campaigns and money. “We ask the media to start highlighting women rights and the challenges women face.”

She further said that the organization will train women who have declared to join politics.

The West Pokot Women Representative aspirant Lillian Plapan urged the electorate to support and vote for

women in the coming polls. Plapan said that the women of West Pokot are now enlightened and are ready to take the County forward.

“It is our time now and we are not going to relent our efforts,” she said.

Jumping over hurdles of violence mark aspirant’s journey to political office

By NZINGA MUASYA Although politics has been treated as a preserve of men, it will soon be a thing of the past come the March 4, 2013 General Elections under the new Constitution.

The Constitution has provided a new platform for women who want to plunge into politics to compete fairly with men.

So far, many women aspirants have come out to declare their interest for the various elective positions.

Many like Kyambi Kavali Mutetei, who is lining up among male contenders to succeed Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka as the MP for Mwingi North is not having it easy. She has been threatened and intimidated by her rivals with many of them urging her to step down.

Mutetei is not be alone in this situation and is calling on male competitors, whom she believes are the perpetrators of such acts against women to style up and face women as equal competitors.

Her advice to female aspirants is that they should not be intimidated but should soldier on.

Fair competition

“What these people are doing is uncalled for, unfair and even criminal. Such kind of intolerance against women candidates is totally unacceptable,” observes Mutetei. She says: “Let people, male and female, compete on the platform of ideas but not threats.

Women must be respected.”

She would like the relevant authorities to step in and provide extra security to women aspirants whose entrance in the political scene seems to be sending jitters among male politicians.

Mutetei says the gains realised by the new Constitution may not be easily achieved if male competitors are not tamed.

Theft

She believes that her political rivals are out to stop her from contesting at all costs out of fear and envy.

In the past five months, Mutetei has lost two cars of the Toyota Prado make with the theft being on November 11, 2012 in a move she says is meant to immobilise her politically.

The first car was stolen in May shortly after she announced her interest in the seat that the Vice President has held on to for the past three decades. Despite reporting to the police, both cars have not been traced.

The latest incident occurred in Nairobi’s South ‘C’ area where she resides.

Mutetei says a group of thugs broke into her home at 3.00am and tied the three watchmen manning the compound before driving away with car which was parked outside her house.

“What baffles me is that there were other cars, even of the same make and more expensive ones but the thieves targeted mine. When I think of how I lost the other car in May, the two inci-

dents are too much of a coincidence,” she says. “I am convinced my political opponents have resorted to unorthodox means to intimidate me into quitting the race.”

Mutetei says the May incident happened at around 4.30 am when a group of broke into her residence and tied the watchman with ropes. The thugs then removed the car alarm, threw it outside and drove the car away.

She says three days after losing the first vehicle she was stoned by a group of people while travelling from Kyuso to Mwingi town.

The rear windscreen of her car was smashed as the driver sped away.

Police at Mwingi Police Station, where she reported the matter said they were still investigating by time we went to press.

“At a section between Nguni market and Mwingi town, we met a group of youths who pelted our car with stones. There was nothing much we could do other than to speed away under a hail of stones. I am sure it was politically instigated,” she says.

Texts

As if that is not enough, Mutetei has lately been receiving threatening texts on her cell phone, whose general message she notes is meant to make her shelve the political ambitions.

She says: “I have received numerous threatening messages from unknown people. The general message they are telling me is that I have no

Kyambi Kavali Mutetei who is vying for the Mwingi North parliamentary seat has been allegedly attacked by her rivals.

Picture: Nzinga Muasya business contesting for any political seat and I should step down. I have forwarded the messages to the police for investigations.”

From these hair raising incidents, Mutetei she feels a “certain degree of insecurity and discomfort” which makes her avoid visiting her constituency and interacting with the constituents as freely as she did before.

Despite these challenges, she will not be cowed.

“I am not quitting. There is nothing they can do to stop me. However I cannot take these happenings for granted so I will have to beef up my security. Quitting will be yielding to their threats yet I have a constitutional right to contest for a political office of my choice,” she says.

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End Violence Against Women!

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Proliferation of small arms destabilises peace in communities

By HUSSEIN DIDO Hadija Guyo, Fatuma Ali and Sharu Abdi are women from Isiolo, Marsabit and Moyale towns respectively. Although they are from different towns, the trio have one thing in common — they are victims of domestic violence brought about by presence of small arms and light weapons in their lives and homes.

While Sharu lives in an internally displaced people’s camp in Moyale, Fatuma, who is separated from her husband, is living in a sprawling village in Marsabit next to the porous KenyaSomalia border.

A mother of three Hadija is a senior civil servant living in Isiolo. She is among the latest victims of violence when her husband, a civic leader, turned her into a punch bag by beating her almost to death.

The voices of the three are just a drop in the ocean of the ordeal of the silent majority living in the northern frontier that includes North Eastern Province and parts of Upper Eastern Province where many people are in possession of illegal small arms.

These areas are home to the Somali, Samburu, Borana, Meru and Turkana among others.

Custodian

Unlike other communities where men keep firearms away from their families, the Borana women are the main custodians of the illegal firearms.

This poses a conflict and danger to their lives and that of those around them fuelling domestic violence in many homes.

Hadija’s husband is a wealthy long serving civic leader in one of the councils within the Northern Frontier region.

Like other pastoralists, he is in possession of a rifle which he says is for protecting his family and property.

Hadija was divorced by her husband after she exposed him for being in possession of illegal firearm. She called the police who came to search the

house. However, someone tipped her husband and he returned and started to rein blows and kicks on her.

“My husband came back and found me on the phone. He grabbed the phone and beat me unconscious. I was taken to hospital by a good Samaritan,” recalls Hadija.

While in the process of confrontation, police officers arrived and searched the house before taking away the AK 47 rifle that had been hidden under the pillow.

He was locked up in police cells but released two days later after his friends intervened and bailed him out.

“I knew I was going to lose him, but I did not regret my action,” says Hadija, who accuses the man of having an extra-marital affair.

When her husband returned from the cells, he threw her out of their matrimonial home which they had both contributed to build.

However, they reconciled after their families intervened four months after the incident.

Hadija says many women shy away from exposing the challenges they face in the hands of armed men in the region.

Many communities in urban centres in Northern Kenya often request armed men from far off villages to come and guard them. The guns pose a great danger to the women especially the concubines.

“These men often harass women to have sex with them and because they are armed, the women are forced to give in to their demands,” notes Hadija.

While guns are a signal of danger, there are some women who admire them and end up having affairs with these men for protection.

Fatuma was divorced when an armed man sneaked into her house hoping that the husband would be away in Nairobi. However, her husband came and found them talking as the man was trying to influence Fatuma to have an affair with him.

Although they were not in a relationship, Fatuma’s husband accused her of

having an affair with the man.

“It was late in the evening when the middle aged man armed with G3 rifle entered the house demanding to have an affair with me but I declined,” explains Fatuma. As she was still arguing with the man, her husband arrived and met them inside the house.

He started raining blows on both of them without asking any questions.

The armed man managed to escape with his rifle leaving Fatuma to face her husband alone.

“I was divorced by my husband who claimed that I was unfaithful to him and yet I did not know the man who eventually led to my marriage breaking up,” says Fatuma. She adds: “My pleas to my husband fell on deaf ears as he forcefully evicted me for something I was not guilty of.”

Armed gang

At 40 years old, Sharu, a mother of four lives in an IDP camp in Marsabit.

She moved there after their home was set ablaze and livestock stolen.

Sharu’s husband was killed a metre away from their homestead at the border of Kenya and Ethiopia when an armed gang from a rival community struck and took off with their livestock.

It was late in the evening when the raiders struck and started spraying bullets in all directions causing panic and fear just as the animals were getting back into the homestead.

Sharu panicked and fainted. The men gang-raped her before killing her husband and stealing their livestock.

She says it was too late as she had been left hopeless while the other villagers fled the area.

“Our men were overwhelmed by the heavily armed bandits in an exchange that lasted many hours and our animals were driven away,” she says.

Sharu is just one of the thousands of women who have been left vulnerable with their children in IDP camps after their husbands were killed and animals, which are the main source of their livelihood, were driven away.

From top: Children playing at the Somare IDP camp. A herdsman carrying a G3 riffle during inter-clan conflict in Moyale. Hadija Guyo fetching water outsider her house in Isiolo.

Pictures: Hussein Dido Most men separate from their wives out of frustration when their source of income is cut short. According to Northern Kenya Enhance Community Transformation, a non-governmental organisation, the number of women divorced as result of poverty in the region stands at between 15 and 40 weekly.

According to Ibrahim Adan Shabo the situation worsens with the increased cases of cattle rustling during rainy season.

“Many women are left with burden of bringing up their children after their husbands are killed and livestock stolen by bandits,” says Shabo.

He observes that some women are frustrated by the husband’s family who want them to be inherited after the death of their sons.

Though cattle rustling has been an issue for time immemorial, its magnitude and dimension is now changing. Previously cattle rustling involved small-scale violence and theft of a sizeable number of livestock or replacement of animals lost through drought or disease.

While previously violence in cattle raids that resulted in deaths was compensated, the trend is now changing. It has now taken a commercialised path.

In recent years, due to proliferation of small arms and commercialisation of cattle rustling, there is an emergence of large-scale violent cattle raids between neighbouring pastoralist communities in Northern Kenya.

These are supported by wealthy businessmen, politicians, traders or local people who finance the raids to take advantage of the situation.

Cattle rustling leaves communities

vulnerable and antagonistic towards each other. It also creates conflict within families. Consequently, communities are forced to arm themselves for protection against hostile groups.

Firearms and ammunition are brought in from across the porous borders of Somalia and Ethiopia. Major sources of arms are mainly Burahache in Somalia where the Transitional Federal Government base is located.

While the main source in Ethiopia is Kadaduma, zone IV headed by a former militia commander who was a former corporal to Kenya army.

Some of the arms are also sneaked into the country through panya (illegal) routes by use of donkeys and camels. The arms find their way into Marsabit via trucks or land cruisers carrying aliens to Nairobi from Ethiopia.

Brokers

The dealers or brokers always send an advance team to access the security situation before smuggling in arms.

Some of the firearms obtained especially the new ones finding its way into Kenya are suspected to be from those who have rebelled against the Al Shabaab militia group who were trained in Kenya but defected as result of poor pay, lack of food and proper medication.

The conflict pattern in Northern Kenya and other parts of the country are far from getting over as conflict changes from normal trend into scramble for county government control under the devolved system of governance.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

11

Small arms fueling gender based violence

By LARRY KIMORI Politicians are alleged to be hampering the disarmament process of small arms from warring communities in the North Rift.

Rift Valley PC Osman Warfa observed that lack of political will from elected leaders and inadequate resources have slowed down the pace of disarming communities and the proliferation of small arms.

Warfa lamented that some political leaders in the North Rift are deeply involved in the supply of ammunition to their communities that has led to fuelling of animosity with their neighbours.

The PC who was speaking during a Sensitisation Workshop on Disarmament of Armed Nomadic Pastoralists in Nakuru noted that the disarmament process would only be successful if members of the concerned communities would be fully involved at all levels.

He said that the provincial administration has set up disarmament committees at location level to help in identifying locals with guns and encourage them to surrender the illegal arms to the government voluntarily.

Education

The administrator disclosed that in the past one year the government lost 11 security officers and urged the locals to embrace education to solve the ageold tradition of cattle rustling.

Assistant Minister for State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security Simeon Lesirma said that 12 border security zones have been created in North West Kenya, North East Uganda, South East Uganda and Ethiopia that

is constantly experiencing insecurity because of influx of small arms and light weapons and the existing cultural practices amongst the bordering communities.

Lesirma said that the overall goal of the project is to ensure regional stability and human security by disarming pastoralist groups, strengthening state and community capacities and initiating security enhancing economic activities in the region.

The Minister noted that neither the government nor the communities affected can achieve peace and security for socio-economic without the support of each other.

Lesirma said that the government and communities should create ownership and secure the support of the leadership in particular the traditional and political leaders in implementing the integrated disarmament process.

He said that the government is committed to providing security to all Kenyans and it supports community development projects by creating an enabling environment and sensitisation on other alternative sources of livelihoods.

The legislator said that socio-economic development can only thrive in a peaceful environment and called upon all communities who are in possession of small arms and light weapons to surrender to the government.

Lesirma appealed to the warring communities to engage in income generating activities that do not trigger inter-communal clashes.

Kenya recognizes the impact of armed violence and the enormous resources required to deal with the chal-

lenges and problems associated with conflicts and crime experienced by individuals and communities in the country particularly in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) areas.

The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security Mutea Iringo said that peace building, conflict prevention and peaceful resolutions are key steps towards violence reduction, poverty and the promotion of economic growth.

“The government is keen to promote sustainable security and a culture of peace by taking bold steps to reduce armed violence and its negative impact on socio-economic and human development by integrating armed violence strategies and conflict prevention programmes at the National level,” The PS noted.

Dialogue

He said that the ministry has continued to provide the concept of dialogue and joint disarmament initiatives between Kenya and her neighbours.

Speaking in Nakuru, Iringo disclosed that the country has taken practical measures to stem the proliferation, illegal trafficking and misuse of small arms and light weapons and lead to effect weapon reduction by disarming warring communities.

The PS reiterated the government’s resolve to destroy surrendered arms permanently by way of public burning adding that they would continue to provide amnesty for voluntary surrender of arms.

He noted that the ministry has embarked on practical disarmament pro-

Provincial administration has set up disarmament committees at location level to help in surrendering illegal arms. Picture: Hussein Dido gramme with an intention to diminish John M’mbijjiwe, who is leading the the need for arms possession in our crackdown, noted that security agents were having difficulty separating womsociety.

Iringo acknowledged the influence en and children from the suspects hidof social, ecological, economic and ing in the Suguta Valley. psychological as well as political factors have on security adding that the min“They are moving in a single file istry has been forced to take proactive with the children driving the livestock measures to control the threat.

He observed that the ministry’s and the bandits positioning themselves overall goal is to promote and support ready to attack. Women are also in the joint and coordinated disarmament of group moving with the animals,” said pastoral groups in Arid and Semi-Arid M’Mbijjiwe.

He said the security officers were Lands and enhance community capacity through community policing for a taking caution to avoid civilian deaths and injuries. more effective security management.

“We want to make sure that no inRecently, the cattle rustlers who killed more than 40 policemen in Bara- nocent life is lost and we also want to goi are using women and children as ensure that the bandits who killed my officers are captured so that they can human shield to avoid arrest.

Rift Valley Provincial Police boss face the law,” the police boss said.

Caution

Increasing concern on gender based violence

By LARRY KIMORI In the last twenty years, the humanitarian field has increasingly recognised gender-based violence (GBV) as a serious global health, human rights, and development issue.

While GBV is prevalent in all societies, crisis situations can exacerbate the extent and incidences of the problem, particularly sexual violence involving female survivors and male perpetrators.

Sexual violence is not only occurring as a byproduct of the collapse in social order in Kenya brought on by the post-election conflicts, but it is also being used as a tool to terrorize individuals and families and precipitate their expulsion from the communities in which they live.

The Chairperson of Nakuru GBV working cluster Steve Biko said that during the early stages of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp development at the Nakuru ASK showground, girls were reportedly taken from the camp by community members to serve as domestic helps, likely increasing their risk of sexual exploitation.

Biko noted that while camp security attempted to address this issue by increasing monitoring of community members entering and exiting the camp.

Reports

He lamented that several weeks later, reports surfaced of 30 children being taken under false pretence from the camp, with girls being promised jobs but then being exploited for sex.

Biko, who works for Family Health options Kenya, observed that risks of sexual violence are on-going for women and young girls seeking sanctuary in IDP settlements that resonate with the theme: From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World.

“Women repeatedly expressed that sexual violence was evident as a result of makeshift sleep-

ing arrangements in the sites, where males and females (not of the same family) were forced to sleep together under one tent or out in the open,” he lamented.

He disclosed that women also voiced concerns about lack of regulations in the camps allowing men from the outside to enter unchecked by camp officials and, in particular, women reported fears about sexual victimisation linked to camp design and services, including lighting, water sanitation facilities, and availability of firewood.

Rising cases

The GBV Chairperson noted that despite efforts by the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) and other humanitarian actors to introduce some basic protective mechanisms, cases of sexual assault in the IDP camps appeared to be on the rise.

He disclosed that exact numbers, however, are impossible to ascertain, not only because the encampments do not have standardised reporting mechanisms, but also because of challenges associated with acknowledging victimisation.

He said that this includes availability of services, the level of awareness about the value of medical assistance, the degree of trust in police and other security-related issues, as well as the cultural acceptability of disclosing rape.

The GBV Chairperson noted that sexual exploitation is also a major concern amongst the IDPs. Biko said that both women and humanitarian actors across multiple sites reported cases in which women and girls are coerced into exchanging sex for basic needs, such as food, sanitary supplies and transport, among others.

Equal participation of women as compared to men in IDP camp management committees was not noted in any of the sites visited.

In most sites, camp management committees had not yet been established; in fact, this failure

to promote IDP representation and participatory processes was a point consistently raised to the KRCS and others during the assessment visits.

Participation

In some settings, such as those in Nakuru, women clearly articulated that their lack of participation in decision-making processes was leading to problems in camp design, food distribution, and allocation of non-food items (NFIs) and other resources.

Such problematic situations include, but are not limited to: overcrowding in shelters; communal bathing facilities with little to no privacy, forcing women and girls to bath after dark.

Notably too were poorly lit facilities and pathways; lack of latrine and/or shower doors and, where they exist the inability to latch doors from the inside; risks associated with firewood collection; and men’s and women’s facilities located too close together, not clearly marked, or too far from shelter structures.

Women also stressed the need for representation of those who were most vulnerable, including single mothers, elderly women, disabled women, and young girls.

Violence against women and girls has farreaching consequences, harming families and communities. For women and girls 16–44 years old, violence is a major cause of death and disability.

Forms

In 1994, a World Bank study on ten selected risk factors facing girls and women in this age group, found rape and domestic violence more dangerous than cancer, motor vehicle accidents, war and malaria. Studies also reveal increasing links between violence against women and HIV and AIDS. Gender-based violence violates human rights, but also hampers productivity, reduces human capital and undermines economic growth.

Biko noted that there are many forms of violence against women, including sexual, physical, or emotional abuse by an intimate partner; physical or sexual abuse by family members or others; sexual harassment and abuse by authority figures (such as teachers, police officers or employers) and trafficking for forced labour or sex.

Citing the occurrences of the aftermath of the December 2007 elections in Kenya, he noted that women and children were the hardest hit and will carry that burden for many years to come.

He reiterated that right now, close to five years down the line, some of the women and children are still languishing in the deplorable IDP camps with little or no assistance from the government that they collectively and democratically elected.

Victims of sexual and gender-based violence during the 2007/08 Post-Election Violence have lost hope in seeking justice through a local judicial system, FIDA Chairperson Ruth Aura said.

Speaking in her Nakuru office, Aura said that the women lawyers’ umbrella body was banking on The Hague option, where post-election cases were filed at the International Criminal Court for justice to be realised.

Blame

Aura accused the Government of lacking goodwill in fulfilling its obligations to the victims of the 2007 chaos.

Some of the heinous acts of gender-based violence in that violence included rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriages and unwanted pregnancies.

“This inaction or unsatisfactory response by the Government is a breach of the principle of due diligence of the Government under international law to fulfil, respect and protect her citizens,” said Aura.

The victims of sexual assault, mostly suffering in silence, had anticipated that the Government would set up a fund to cater for them as part of their compensation,” she added.

12

End Violence Against Women!

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Infected by her husband; the linkages Sexual of Sexual violence and HIV infection Violence

By LARRY KIMORI

By ROBERT WANJALA Sexual violence and HIV infections have common links. The prevalence is being cited as key course and the consequence of rising infections with women bearing the greatest brunt especially in Uasin Gishu County.

Janet* is now a widow and a mother of two sons living at Moiben constituency near Eldoret.

Janet lost her husband of 25 years to HIV related complications in May this year. Janet’s late husband was a long distance truck driver who traveled widely in Eastern and Central Africa.

Occasionally her husDoctors and nurses during a recent strike at the Moi Teaching and Refferal Hospital. MTRH-CAR-E band would be away for unit has a high number of sexual assault cases. Picture: Robert Wanjala months and anytime he came home he insisted of Janet said that for 10 years as a was unfaithful to him and the result dinator, Family Care Option says having unsafe sex something she op- truck driver, he remained an absen- was just the evidence of my promis- many cases are never reported. “We posed vehemently. As a result a quar- tee parent to his children. He would cuous life while he was away, Janet hear a lot of cases while out on outrel would ensue and Janet will have be away when schools closed and says. reach activities. Here we handle 10 no otherwise but submit hoping she hardly visited them at school.

Janet’s story could be a grim pic- to 15 cases a month mostly self-redoes not contract any sexual related And when he finally returned ture of intimate partners relation- ferred one,” Rotich says adding that disease. home on a two weeks off duty, ac- ship gone sour when a spouse dis- unique cases are referred MTRH“I was faithful to my man but I cording to Janet she stood her covers he/she HIV positive across Academic Model Providing Access never trusted him that much be- ground and demanded that they we many communities in the country to HealthCare (AMPATH). cause of the nature of his job. My go for HIV/AIDS testing. but it also brings out the linkages AMPATH has over 250,000 husband on other hand never liked HIV-infected patients across its 60 She said getting tested for sexual between sexual violence and GBV. using condoms. He always cited transmitted diseases was to assure cares and treatment satellite clinthat condoms are for unmarried her of his status. “For myself I was ics both in North Rift and Western and if I insist of using them then I confident because he is the only For Janet HIV infection was her Kenya. Nearly half of these patients was admitting that I am unfaithful man I had known sexually since consequence. Janet says she learnt are on antiretroviral therapy. The to him” she explained. marriage, but what I did know was later that her husband had been clinic has diversified its activities that this was going to be the turning on anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) to include primary healthcare and point in our marriage. He turned for about five years at the time she chronic disease management.

“One day while on transit to violent both physical and verbal ac- tested positive.

“Many victims of SGBV are reRwanda, he dropped by one hot cusing me of being paranoid of hav“After sessions of counseling luctant to report their cases. This is afternoon and demanded we go to ing extra marital affairs while away”, I accepted myself and started off partly because of lack of knowledge bed because he was not sure when she said. the ARV therapy. But knowing on the existing health care services, he will return home,” she says.

“I left him one day to go for our status never solved the con- fear or shame and long legal pro“In his previous visit we had testing. I had started becoming flict in our marriage. For simple cesses that force the affected to opt quarreled and he left without mak- fatigued every time, having pro- misunderstanding my husband for Kangaroo courts,” Rotich says. ing things right. I told him I was not longed headaches but these were became physically violent forcing ready for sex until we sorted our not the reasons for seeking VCT. me to escape for my safety from past differences. He objected and I wanted to know my status and our matrimonial home for days,” A government policy on SGBV insisted he had no time for talking choose how to live with him there- Janet reveals adding that on many says: “The formal justice system in about the past,” Janet says. occasions she never remembered Kenya is riddled with many hurof,” says Janet.

Janet got some serious beating At the VCT the atmosphere was to carry with her ARV drugs be- dles and many families of SGBV that afternoon. “He slapped me tense and after she confirmed the cause violence occurred when least survivors resort to traditional justwice before shoving him aside and worst. “I tested HIV positive and expected. tice methods that are geared todashing out. This was real heart when they told me of my results, I Domestic violence has far reach- wards reaching a consensus rather breaking considering the long dis- left the centre a bitter and confused ing effect on HIV people on ARV than securing justice for individual tance we had come along together woman. I wanted nothing but to therapy. It may interrupt their drug survivors,” a government policy and having grown up children,” get home and kill my husband be- adherence and clinic visits risking states. she says adding that at no point she cause I was sure he is the man who the patient to develop resistance to It adds that traditional systems never wanted this to get into public brought the virus in our marriage,” drugs. are preferred because they are faster domain because of shame and ridi- explains Janet with while looking According to UN World Health and issues are resolved in ways that cule.

Organization, developing drug guarantee the affected families reaway to control tears in her eyes.

“He left for Rwanda for two But when she arrived at home, resistance can result to treatment tain their place in society. months. While away, he never made he husband looked comfortably failure, increased direct and indiThe policy however suggests a any telephone calls although sent and innocently seated on the couch. rect health costs associated with raft of measures to combat gender money for school fees for our sons “I confronted him bitterly but it was the need to start a more costly sec- based violence. who were in boarding high school useless. He denied it as ever and in- ond-line treatment for patients, the A study by Institute for Gender then and upkeep,” she says. stead told me off to my face that I spread of resistant strains of HIV Equity, Research and Development and the need for developing new of Moi University to ascertain naanti-HIV drugs ture and prevalence of SGBV expeAvailable statistics at Moi Teach- riences among HIV positive woming Referral Hospital – Centre for en attending clinics at AMPATH Assault Recovery (CAR-E) shows attributes the rise of sexual violence about 4,198 of new cases of sexual to socio economic inequalities. violence survivors.

These inequalities results into sexuThe centre handles about 250 al, physical and emotional violence new SGBV cases monthly with within family set up. women and children leading.

The study also cites ignorance Young girls below 18 years top on sexual violence laws and availthe list at 63.4 followed by women ability and low utilization of the above 18 at 36.6 per cent. available services at various health — Janet Caroline Rotich, program coor- facilities such as AMPATH.

Acceptance

Stopover

Policy

“I tested HIV positive and when they told me of my results, I left the centre a bitter and confused woman. I wanted nothing but to get home and kill my husband because I was sure he is the man who brought the virus in our marriage,”

The 2008-2009 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey reported that one in every five women in Kenya aged 15-49 years had experienced sexual violence, adding that much of this violence came from their spouses.

Moreover, the same study found that 12 percent of Kenyan women ages 15-49 reported that their first experience of sexual intercourse was against their will.

The executive director of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WildafK) Tabitha Njoroge notes that prior to 2006; high levels of sexual and gender-based violence in Kenya went largely unaddressed by Kenya’s courts due to limited definitions of offences, a weak legal framework and general taboos that permeated both the formal and informal justice sectors.

Addressing a stakeholders’ workshop on the Implementation of the Sexual Offences Act and Justice for Child Sexual Abuse in Nakuru recently, Njoroge said that law enforcement and prosecutors alike are ill-equiped for the challenges that arise in sexual and gender-based crime.

She lamented the strict requirements for corroboration of testimony intimidated survivors of intimate crimes especially young children for which there were no eyewitnesses.

She observed that where there was no anticipation of psychosocial support, much less witness protection for those brave enough to come forward, it was difficult for survivors to hold their perpetrators accountable in court.

Heavy workload

Grace Oketch of Life Bloom based in Naivasha lamented that women who seek services at the police station get sexually attacked; harassed or simply forced to give bribes in order to receive services.

“Lack of specialisation and sensitisation of police investigators dealing with sexual offences is a major hindrance in helping victims to access justice because of shoddy police investigation reports,” noted Oketch.

Victor Kabaka, a senior state counsel based in Eldoret, noted that heavy workloads on the part of prosecutors leads to shoddy prosecutions noting that in a day, a prosecutor may handle 25 cases, which may lead to the prosecutor’s inability to give focused attention on some cases.

Kabaka observed that logistics deny police prosecutors research facilities, which put them at a disadvantage when compared with sharp defence lawyers who have all the time and facilities to prepare for their cases.

Oketch pointed out that police prosecutors do not have the opportunity for holding pre-trial interviews with witnesses or even visiting the scene of crime in preparation for the hearing due to limited resources.

Connie Ngondi, a high court advocate, said that most prosecutors’ offices are oneroom affairs tucked in a corner of the court premises and sometimes it is shared between two to five prosecutors.

Ngondi lamented that this makes it impossible to comply with the good practices recommended to services providers in cases of violence against women.

She said that gender mainstreaming within the police department should be taken seriously, so that more women get appointed as prosecutors and officers commanding stations (OCS).

Kabaka observed that community outreach programs should be conducted during chiefs barazas so that women and communities at large can be sensitised about Violence against Women.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

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Violence against disabled children by care givers

By CAROLYNE OYUGI Children living with disabilities have two difficult conditions to live with. First they are minors and so have to depend on adults for support and two, majority of them depend on relatives, parents and care-givers to do everything for them.

These conditions have unfortunately developed loopholes and many at times are used by those who should be taking care of them to abuse them.

Article 23 the United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child clearly states children with disabilities have the right to enjoy life in conditions that ensure dignity, promote selfreliance and facilitates the active participation of the child in community.

However, this only applies in writing most children living with disabilities in Kenya do not enjoy these rights. Violence is the most common method used to disable children living with various impairments.

These impairments include sensory, physical, mental and intellectual. They also have less recourse to escape from this violence, even with laws such as the children’s act and the disability act. The causes and types of this violence differ but the expression is seen at all levels of the lives of these innocent children.

Abuses

Fatuma Wangari chairperson Kenya Association of Intellectual Handicap is however concerned that these abuses follow them to adulthood.

“They experience these forms of abuse from family, community and institutions to workplace. The extent, form, and impact of this violence is disabling” she added.

According to Lorna Nyandat, Kenya Legal and Intellectual Network (KELIN), people living with mental disabilities have their rights clearly spelt out in the Constitution. “Unfortunately children living with some mental conditions never recover and so they live a miserable life of being either physically or sexually abused or at times both by their care takers,” she explains.

Factors that put disabled children at increased risk abuse are often related to social, cultural and economic issues, and not to the disability itself.

Some parents are also embarrassed of their children and so end up locking them in the house. They are also beaten when they do not behave as expected of them.

Lorna is disappointed that there are many reported cases of children who are frequently beaten because they did not find their way to the toilet when there was no one to take them.

“Some of these children are not even given the right support needed to help them master their way around. I once handled a case of a blind 14 year old who was beaten by the brother at every meal time because he poured food down” she said adding that when they investigated deeper they found out that the boy had wounds all over his body including burns.

Disabled children must be included in all programs intended to end violence and abuse of children if we are to win the ugly battle of violence.

While sexual violence against a normal child is increasingly considered a media issue, rape of a mentally ill child is not looked at the same way.

First, they cannot express themselves and at times it is even hard to reach the child because you must go through the care taker who might also be the perpetrator.

When they get access the media people rarely see this as a story since the guardian or children officer will have given ‘reasons’ why they are helpless with such cases.

The few cases that have found their way to the court also have very slim chances of getting fair hearing. The cases get listed for hearing, but

Fatuma Wangari, Kenya Association of Intellectual Handicap with Lorna Nyandat, Kenya Legal and Intellectual Network (KELIN). they demand for better treatment of children living with disabilities. Picture:Carolyne Oyugi. end up being adjourned, as there is no sign language interpreter available to assist in taking the evidence.

Children act

Despite the provisions of the Kenyan Constitution and the Children’s Act which states that every person shall be permitted to have, without payment, the assistance of an interpreter if she/ he cannot understand the language used at the trial, there is no structure for those rights to be realised. A gap exists between the legislation and practice which leads to discrimination against disabled children.

If the neighbors know the disabled child next door is physically or sexually abused, they are more likely to ‘leave them alone’. Children of-

“Unfortunately children living with some mental conditions never recover and so they live a miserable life of being either physically or sexually abused or at times both by their care takers.”

ficers are more likely to give reasons why they cannot do anything as compared if it were a normal child. Provincial administration is also reluctant to solve such cases.

Not all community schools have a unit for children with disabilities. Many public or community schools see the disabled children in terms of the extra cost which is not catered for by the government allocations.

Parents and community leaders do not see the education of disabled children as beneficial to the community’s future. According to John Midega, a teacher at Maseno School for the Deaf, special education is not considered a hardship job that requires extras allowances. Many a times, only unqualified people are available to teach in these units.

This does not only lower the quality of education to the few who have access but also leads to further abuse of these children.

Section 12 of the Children Act states that; “a disabled child shall have the right to be treated with dignity and to be accorded appropriate medical treatment, special care, education and training free of charge or at a reduced cost whenever possible”.

Kenyans urged to end gender based violence

By HENRY OWINO The post-election violence of 20072008 is termed as the worst scenario of gender based violence ever experienced in the history of Kenya. Girls and women were targeted during the skirmishes.

According to Pamela Tuiyot from the UN Women hundreds of women were threatened with death and many more were raped. ”About 876 women were raped, while hundreds of others died and/or suffered other forms of assault either emotionally or psychologically,” says Tuiyot.

She adds: About 1,900 girls were defiled while many more cases went unreported for fear of victimisation and humiliation.”

Today violence against women continues to be a challenge and Kenyans have been asked to join hands in an effort to end this menace.

Tuiyot says the manifestation impact of political violence against women in electoral process will forever be part of the country’s history.

“How could one register as a voter if they had been threatened with death while other polling stations closed down due to fear?” posed Tuiyot. She observes: “When there is violence in any country, women and children are the most affected. They suffer abusive language, public stripping, sexual exploitation, assault, torture, defile-

ment/rape, murder/assassination and all forms of atrocities one would think of. This is not acceptable anymore.”

Tuiyot was speaking at the launch of the Africa UNiTE Campaign to end Gender-Based Violence Kenya Chapter in Nairobi under the theme If Not You, Who? If Not Now, When?

She pointed out that the violence of 2007-2008 led to spread of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infections as perpetrators raped women even if when the victims warned them of their status. There was also population displacement, forced male circumcision, broken families or divorce, early marriages and school dropouts.

Statistics

According to data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 2009, 39 per cent of Kenyan women have experienced violence since they were aged 15.

About 82 cases of violence against women political aspirants were reported in three months before the 2007 general elections. However, most cases of gender based violence go unreported with 55 to 95 per cent of women never seeking help.

According to Aeneas Chuma, UN Resident Coordinator this is risky for the country as it will continue to lag behind in its development goals unless it addresses issues of gender

Dignitaries pose for a photo after signing their commitments to end gender based violence.

Picture: Henry Owino based violence.

He urged the Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs as well as that of Gender, Children and Social Development to ensure such violence was nipped in the bud.

“We need to change the belief that the lives of women and girls are of less value or that young children, whether male or female are unaffected by physical or emotional abuse. This seems like a difficult task but it is possible,” cautions Chuma.

Africa UNiTE to end Violence against women and girls is the regional section of the United Nations Secretary-General’s global campaign.

It was launched on January 30, 2010 at the African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The campaign seeks to build on commitments outlined in the African Union Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa as well as the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equity in Africa, among other international instruments.

The UNiTE Kenya Chapter is the country’s response to the campaign and seeks to harmonise efforts towards the prevention of and response to all forms of violence against women, men, girls and boys in the country. It is also aimed at raising public awareness on the issue to inspire behaviour change and increase political support, coordination and resources.

It provides a joint platform for a wide range of stakeholders under one umbrella to increase the impact of interventions.

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Fear factor dominates in Laikipia as women shy away from politics

By ODHIAMBO ORLALE Women leaders in Laikipia County on the slopes of Mount Kenya are a rare species of politicians - they are media shy.

Ninety days to the General Elections, very few of them have come out openly to declare their interests in any of the five seats up for grabs in the county that borders Nyeri, Samburu, Isiolo, Nyandarua, Turkana, Meru and Baringo.

A recent public forum for journalists attended by the Laikipia District Information Officer, Ms Margaret Kirura, at Sportsman’s’ Arms Hotel, revealed that Laikipia women are media shy.

Political interest

An interesting case was shared by the District Information Officer (DIO) of an aspirant for the women’s representative seat whose secret was revealed to the senior journalists by her husband’s driver after being given a lift in the same family car she was being driven in!

Even the driver was taken aback when he was informed that his boss had not broken the news to the media. So far only a handful of women who have shown any interest in politics in the breadbasket of the country, most of them are eying the ward rep while others are campaigning for the County women’s representative, which is reserved for women but men will be allowed to also vote for them.

Seven women have plunged into the political arena, led by Eunice Muthoni, and are ready to battle it out among themselves for votes from some of the 399,227 residents in two constitu-

encies, namely Laikipia East and Laikipia West.

None of them has shown an interest in the more senior posts of MP, Governor and/or Senator.

But most of them lack media skills and even when called by journalists to address pertinent issues about their campaigns and the County they respond negatively.

The seat of Senator has drawn the interest of a former long serving Cabinet minister, G.G. Kariuki, while the Governor’s is also an all-male affair, and includes the two area MPs, Assistant ministers Mwangi Kiunjuri, and Ndiriti Muriithi among others. A new constituency was created by the Independent Boundaries and Elections Commission called Laikipia North, which will also be up for grabs.

During the media forum, the following views were shared by the scribes working in Laikipia, Samburu and Nyahururu Counties concerning gender and youth in the electoral process.

Lack of information

Most journalists were of the view that most women do not know how and what the media does; they blamed media policies for it saying they were not women ‘friendly; and that most learned women in the area are aloof and/or proud.

“I have called a number of women and they do not turn up,” Paul Mwaniki said adding that the most visible women so far for the women’s representative seat was Ms Eunice Muthoni.

Said the DIO: “As I was coming for this meeting, I shared a car with someone vying for the women representatives’ post. I asked about her and someone else was describing her and

Journalists at a recent workshop in Laikipia. Negative cultural beliefs have contributed to women shying away from politics. Picture: Odhiambo Orlale she was just seated there. The same woman vied for a civic post last year and lost.”

The participants noted that negative cultural beliefs and traditions had made women less empowered and shy from talking and/or taking up leadership positions in public.

In neighbouring Samburu County, Nominated MP Maison Leshomo wants to make history by being elected as the area’s first women county representative. She has four other rivals.

Her nomination by PNU to sit in the August House was the first one for Samburu women since independence 49 years ago.

Women’s seat

Leshomo wears many hats; she is the chairlady of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake in Samburu district and is also a member of the Samburu district peace committee. The soft spoken politician is a former councilor and deputy Town Clerk of Malarala.

In Nyandarua County, there are over six women who are campaigning for the women’s

rep seat, but none for the Senate, Governors and/or parliamentary seat.

Said one of the participants, Paul: “The women are all scrambling for the women’s’ rep, which is a big post, instead of spreading out and others going for the parliamentary seat and ward representative which they can easily win.”

He cited Nyeri Town MP, Esther Murugi, who doubles as Special Programmes minister, who tried three times and was persistent until she was finally elected in 2007.

Women were criticised for not participating at the party nomination, while others had opted to hide under the cover of strong male aspirants for funds and security.

In Samburu, women aspirants are targeting women voters only not knowing that both gender will vote for that post. Indeed, women aspirants must have passion in what they do; they must also be persistent and have a purpose in order to be visible and to popularise themselves.

Gender Based Violence in the IDP camps

By JOHN MAINA There is a belief that people with common problems happen to make good friends and support each other in all ways. This however is not the case in the IDP camps in Nakuru county. Despite the common problems of both gender, one gender takes the very bitter part of the hardships undergone in the camps.

This gender is the female gender, that in each and every camp, it is the one that performs most chores and in extreme cases it is expected to meet the needs of the family.

When we arrived at the Nakuru’s Pipeline IDP camp, our first stop was at a kiosk within the camp operated by a woman in her 50s, who introduced herself as Grace Wanjiku.

“Problems are maturing day and night, each and every moment has got a new problem or a maturity of an initial one to a more complicated one,” Wanjiku started explaining.

Jobless

Wanjiku disclosed that most men in the camps are jobless, an issue we ascertained as we later walked around the camps and found groups of men discussing politics and other issues.

“When your husband or son is jobless, you are most likely forced to

use your little savings to start a small business to be able to provide for the family, you literally become the family’s soul bread winner,” she complained.

From her tone, it was clear that men do not take it lightly when they do not find something to eat after their long day discussions of politics and other related issues.

She said that when a husband is not working, there is a high possibility that the wife will keep on brushing shoulders with the husband especially when the wife asks the husband to render a helping hand in what she is doing or pester him to get something to do for a living even if it is a casual job.

Men in the camp as it is, do not believe that women should tell them what to do and what not to.

Common practice

When we enquire from her whether the camp has cases of men beating their women, she said that gender based violence is a common place there.

“Barely a week ends without one hearing a shrill from the neighbours when a woman is being buttered, the centre of such incidences is always when the women confront their husbands to try and get casual work for the survival of the family,” Wanjiku said.

The camp’s committee chairs in almost all aspects is as well said to

be composed of men only, and this translate to all aids from the government and donors coming to the camps through the men.

Women are not much incorporated even when the representatives to meet the government officials especially when meetings for resettlement are selected.

Most of them feel demeaned and neglected, but due to fear of being seen as “not disciplined” by men and their fellow woman, they shy away from raising concerns.

Young girls too are subjected to more and heavy chores than the Grace Wanjiku, an IDP at Nakuru’s pipeline boys. They are responcamp in her kiosk. Below: A young girl sible for fetching water and also collecting fire- cleaning utensils outside her family’s camp. pictures: John Maina wood among other domestic duties, when the them grow up knowing that they are boys are mostly given time to play by reason that they are superior to the girls.

Girls on the other side, in such a men.

Those who have given birth at setup, they will probably grow knowthe camps as well, are said to cel- ing that they are servants to the boys, ebrate births of boys than girls. The no matter how much the community, boys are pampered and treated as the government and activists will try superior gender, and this makes to empower them.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

15

Taita Taveta: Violence cases taking too much of police time

By ROBBY NGOJHI The Taveta County police boss is a frustrated man because of the many cases of gender based violence which are taking up most of his time at the expense of other public duties.

Office Commanding Police Division Paul Kisang’ says cases of violence against women in the area are common and a number of them have resulted in victims ending up dead.

According to Kisang’, these incidents usually occur in the remote villages of Taveta, which shares a common border with Tanzania, where drinking dens are common.

“Some of the villages around here come from far and residents tend to think the places are too remote for police to carry out patrols,” says Kisang. He observes: “Sometimes women who operate these dens are raped by drunken revellers who spend most of their time drinking at the dens.”

A villager familiar with operations at the drinking dens disclosed that women who run the joints are sometimes forced to submit their bodies to revellers for sexual favours.

High demand

“Sometimes the brew pots might run dry as early as midday because of high demand. In this case you will find that mama-pima (brew seller) restlessly serving a long queue of ruthless revellers with sex. This might go on until the fall of dusk,” notes the villager.

Apart from Taveta, police records also indicate that a significant number of cases of brutal attacks against women have been reported in parts of Mwatate, Wundanyi and Voi. In a recent case at Mwasungia village in Mwatate Angeline Mwandoe Women dramatising gender based escaped death narrowly when her husviolence in Mbale location. Below: band Patrick Wangio descended on her Dorcas Gibran the Chair of local with a jembe (hoe) and kitchen knife group Sauti ya Wanawake which is leaving her in a coma.

She was rushed to Mwatate sub- conducting forums on the dangers District Hospital before being trans- of child abuse and violence against ferred to Moi District Hospital where women. Pictures: Robby Ngojhi she was admitted in critical condition.

Area Chief Chrispus Mnyika says returned home shortly after neighbours alarmed by yells emanating from the home rushed to rescue Angelina sunset in Vumilia Village, Taveta Constituency after spending the whose husband denied being the culprit.

“He claimed his wife had been attacked by an better part of Saturday at a womunknown suspect but the woman insisted that en’s meeting in Taveta town.

On arrival, she finds her husshe had been attacked by her husband,” says band James Kitula seated in a Mnyika.

It is in the light of the above that a women’s cross-legged pose waiting for her. rights lobby group, Sauti ya Wanawake (Voice of women) is touring various parts of the Coast on Culturally, a woman is not a campaign to educate women about their rights.

According to Dorcas Gibran, chairperson supposed to get home after her Sauti ya Wanawake Coast region are con- husband. The man is supposed cerned that unless action is taken to stop gen- to find her at home having alder based violence it will be difficult for wom- ready prepared his bathing waen to take up leadership positions because they ter and evening meal.

However, before Maryanne will lack self esteem which is part of leadership explains to him what took qualities.

Gibran notes that women in the region have place at the meeting, he quickly shoots up on his feet and snarls been suffering silently in the hands of men. at the top of his voice.

“Can you tell me what you According to Everlyne Wabosha, many have been up to this hour of the women in Taita suffer humiliation in their day and what the time now is?” homes but shy away from reporting the cases he poses.

A prolonged quarrel ensues for fear of being victimised by their husbands and persists for several hours and relatives.

“These cases need to be reported and the before pin drop silence takes over. suspects put behind bars,” reiterates Wabosha.

While neighbours think that the silence She notes that the cases are usually increased by alcoholism and drug abuse by men is an indication that the two have reached a and pinpointed Mghange, Mwanda and Bura peaceful solution, this is not the case.

They later learn that he had reached for as some of the areas where cases of violence the kitchen knife and stabbed Maryanne sevagainst women are rampant.

Take the case of Mary Anne Kitula, 26 who erally on the head, chest and back killing her

Disagreement

Silence

instantly.

Shortly afterwards he tried to commit suicide by taking poison but it was in vain.

The residents who found him reported the matter to police who arrived and took him to hospital while Maryanne’s body was taken to the mortuary.

The husband who was receiving medical attention under police supervision succumbed to the toxins only a day after he was admitted.

These are among the cases of gender based violence that Kisang’ says he is tired of dealing with as they are too common and with quite a number resulting in deaths.

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End Violence Against Women!

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Among the Pokot, women’s rights remain alien

By ODHIAMBO ORLALE The Pokot culture does not recognise gender based violence as an issue to be discussed outside the man’s homestead.

Indeed, to most men, violence against women is the norm rather than the exception in their marital life.

According to Joachim Alemusia, an elder and opinion leader in Kapenguria, human rights issues are still alien to this community and it is not easy to explain or convince them to understand the new Constitution and the women’s gains therein.

Alemusia confesses that many a times women get slaps from their husbands for the sake of it just because “they were bought with bride price!”

Addressing a public forum organised by African Woman and Child Features under the Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK) project at Makutano, Alemusia admitted that time had come for his colleagues, as opinion shapers, to change with time and agree to go out and educate the rest of the community about the negative impact of gender based violence linked to their culture.

Statistics

The County has a poverty rate of 69.08 per cent, and only 46.9 per cent of the population can read or write. It is one of the few counties out of 47 where Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is still being practiced despite it being outlawed.

“In the past, fathers ensured that they bought their circumcised daughter a very special dress on the day of her graduation as a reward and sign of pride in her achievement,” explains Alemusia of a practice that is not only violence against

girls and women but also a violation of their human rights.

In the Pokot culture a youth is a man called “Chumwak” while a girlchild “Naran”.

Fear of reprisal makes it difficult for Pokot girls who are educated outside the County not to feel free to return and share their information about the negative impact of Female Genital Mutilation on their self-esteem, reproductive system and social standing. Many of them harbour fears of being forced to undergo FGM. Teresa Lokichu, who is an aspiring for the Pokot County Women’s Representative seat says that as a mother she is aware of many cases where the local chief who is the government representative at the grassroots has refused to take action on a suspect promoting gender based violence.

Hope

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel thanks to local and international non-governmental organisations like World Vision who have been carrying out aggressive anti-FGM campaigns in the area dominated by pastoralists.

Says the Lokichu: “In Kacheliba, we teach them through the radio as they take their animals to graze. The Government should stand up and protect the women and public. Violence against women is rife but they do not talk about it because they don’t want to be beaten ovyo ovyo (in a haphazard manner) by their husbands because of the manner in which media covers domestic issues.”

A reformed Pokot elder, David Limo, who is the chairman of community policing says in some places gender sensitivity is taking root and because of this they have seven women out of 18 people as members of the District Peace Committee.

“I used to beat my wife but I have since stopped after we were educated.

I have been married for 30 years. I now accept that she has her rights as much as I do and I respect them,” explains Limo.

It was at this forum that women resolved to unite and give each other moral support in the run up to the party nominations in January and in the campaigns and General Elections on March 4, 2013.

They noted that there is no single Pokot woman who has declared her interest in any of the three top seats that will be up for grabs at the polls other than for the County representative and that of Women’s representative. The other seats are for Member of Parliament for Kapenguria, Kacheliba and Sigor, which have been treated as men’s preserve since independence. They dare not think of aspiring to be Governor and Senator as it will be viewed as insubordination towards the men.

Rispa Lousot from Alfa Womens Group says that among the Pokot a woman is asked who her husband is before she can be allowed to stand in front of them and ask for votes. They do not have a right even to vote, some of their husbands even take

A Pokot woman with her children collecting grain. Below: Pokot women at a meeting. Women have united to give each other moral support in the upcoming party nominations.

Pictures: Reject Correspondents their identity and voter cards and decide for them who to vote for on election day.

“We need to go around and promote women’s rights. You should not fear your husband but work together to promote your ambitions. You

should face him and confide in him,” Lousot advices women. She adds: “I will now encourage other women to also emulate the issues that were discussed here. I now feel empowered to vote and address gender based violence issues.”

Women remain enslaved to culture as wife beating remains taboo topic

By MWERI MAYENGE Despite efforts by many civil society organisations, the war on Gender Base Violence (GBV) in Kilifi County is far from being won.

Retrogressive cultures among the Mijikenda who are the majority in the County and ignorance caused by illiteracy are the key factors that have contributed to the continued rise in Gender Base Violence cases. Women in Kilifi County are getting a raw deal from their families and in particular their husbands.

In a recent workshop held at the Kilifi Baptist Church by the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA), Gender Base Violence survivors narrated how they have been suffering silently in the hands of their husbands.

FIDA programme officer for Transformative Justice Faith Alube said most women in the County cannot access justice because some of the injustices they undergo within their homes are considered taboo to discuss with someone who is not a member of the family.

“Such cultures have held most women hostage and they cannot open up to any other per-

son though most of them undergo tormenting ordeals,” said Alube. She added: “The trend has been compounded by the low education levels.

We have started and we will not tire until the women of this county know and pursue their rights.”

The workshop brought together men who are rights defenders and women who are the rights claimants.

According to Eric Mgoja, Senior Human Rights Officer with the Human Rights Agenda (HURIA) the government is to blame for not putting enough emphasis on the war against gender base violence.

Mgoja said despite the fact that most cases are being reported to the authorities, no redress has been given to most of them.

“Cases of gender base violence are being reported to the respective authorities for redress but very little has been done. The government has absolutely failed to address gender base violence cases despite having the capacity it has to do so,” noted Mgoja. He observed: “The system of the Government is easily compromised because of corruption since cases are reported to

the provincial administration with no success.”

Mgoja further noted with concern that in addressing these cases the state applies the law selectively to favour some people either because of power influence or when money has exchanged hands.

Discrimination

“The law is only applied when ordinary Kenyans are involved but when a rich person or influential person is involved then it becomes extremely difficult to get justice,” observed Mgoja. He reiterated: “Law enforcement and other state agencies should consistently follow the legal provisions to protect and safeguard human rights at all levels without favour and discrimination.”

He pointed that Gender Desks at the police station should be made accessible to the public to enable people report cases of abuse easily.

He said state offices in charge of gender should initiate a campaign to sensitise the community on gender based violence and its impact to the community.

“The National Gender and Equality Com-

mission should decentralise its operations to all counties in Kenya to enable everyone lodge a complaint against anyone whenever aggrieved or for the Commission to efficiently initiate investigations against any case of gender based violence,” suggested Mgoja.

He also proposed that the Commission should also empower women and the general public on the issues of gender and equality.

Civil society organisations together with the State should also develop a good working relationship that will allow them to collaborate and effectively report to the relevant authority cases of gender based violence.

However, according to Christopher Chea, chief social worker at Kilifi District Hospital, to win the war the Government and civil society organisations should target the men in educating them on the consequences of gender based violence.

“Our women are in bondage in their homes.

It is very hard for them to make decisions in our cultural settings. I we want to win this war, our target should be the men who beat and enslave their wives,” reiterated Chea.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

GBV leaves women, families paupers

17

Domestic workers in Kenya are the most exploited

By BONIFACE MULU

By ARTHUR OKWEMBA At the Kenyatta National Hospital Gender Recovery Centre, *Mary holds her battered face as she sobs uncontrollably.

For the last three months, she has been assaulted by her husband leaving her with grave injuries. In the same period, she has missed to go to work for two months as she nursed her wounds. The treatment has cost her over KSh40,000.

The crime she committed was to come home late.

“I arrived home at about 8.30 pm, and I found him very furious asking why I had not cooked food.”

“When I responded that I was held up in women group meeting, he insisted I was from seeing a man and started beating me,” recalls Mary.

Since the beating, Mary has suffered not only economic costs, but emotional and psychological problems as well.

In Garissa, more than 600 kilometres away from Nairobi, Fatuma who was forcibly circumcised at the age of 11-years-old and then married at the age of 14-years-old, is in pain.

Nursing a fistula wound after she failed to get emergency obstetric care, life has been hell for her.

Her husband subjected her to verbal violence, which ended up with a divorce. “He said he could not live with some who had a leaking bladder,” says Fatuma.

The divorce forced her to go and stay with her parents.

Financial constraint

For more than three years, they have spent everything they had to help her correct the problem.

Her father sold his only camel to help Fatuma undergo corrective surgery at the Garissa provincial hospital. It did not help.

With poverty sweeping through their household and one of her sisters dropping out of school for lack of fees; Fatuma left her fate to God. Only recently, with the help of well-wishers did she get the problem rectified.

Health experts blame her condition to three factors: FGM, forced early marriage and lack of emergency obstetric care in the region. For Fatuma, she will never regain the lost ground: “I am too old to go back to school and my parents cannot afford to take me to a tertiary college.”

Fatuma is now another statistic of women whose lives are destroyed every year due to negative cultural practices, many of which constitute gender based violence. Their families sink deeper into poverty as

Men participating in the walk against gender based violence during the launch of KNH Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre. Picture: Courtesy AWC they try to correct a complication that would have been prevented in the first place.

Failure to curtail this violence is witnessing the country lose out on the contribution of these women to economic development.

Prevention

Mary and Fatuma’s cases resonate in other parts of the country. As a result of gender based violence, HIV infections, unwanted pregnancies and sometimes death, are unpleasant realities women have to confront. Many productive hours, money spent on treatment and hospitalisation, could be invested in other productive ventures if this GBV was prevented.

The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey estimates that almost half of the married women have experienced physical, sexual, and emotional violence by a husband or partner. The survey further found out that 39 percent of the women interviewed had experienced physical violence.

The highest prevalence (57 percent) was recorded in Nyanza and Western (45 percent) provinces with the least (29 percent) reported in Nairobi. About 27 percent of the women reported to have been circumcised when young, a bracket that includes Fatuma. In many of these cases, the violence meted had serious negative economic effects on the woman, the family and the country.

Sexual violence makes women engage in unsafe sex, increasing their vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections such as HIV or unwanted pregnancies. All these have serious financial implications on the family and the country as it puts pressure on scarce resources that would have been invested in other productive ventures.

Studies by UN agencies and reproductive health NGOs note that domestic violence has far reaching effects in terms of healthcare expenditures; demands on courts and losses in educational achievement and productivity, among many others.

While figures on this issue in Kenya are scanty and uncoordinated, scenarios in other countries give a tip of the ice-berg on the economic and financial effects of GBV that is likely to prevail in our backyard. A survey in India showed women to loss an average of seven working days after an incident of violence. This has negative implications on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many these countries.

According to a 2004 World Bank report: Costs

and impacts of gender-based violence: Methodologies and new estimates, by Andrew Morrison and María Beatriz Orlando, women who are victims of GBV may have lower levels of productivity on the job and earn less.

Similarly, in Zambia, the percentage of women who contracted STDs was 1.9 percentage points higher among victims of physical violence. Those who contracted genital sores or ulcers was 2.8 percentage points higher among women who faced such violence.

In Chile, wage losses of 2 percent of GDP are recorded due to gender based violence. While the Colombian government spends US$ 73.7 million per year to prevent, detect and treat intimate partner violence.

Prevalence

The prevalence of women in developing countries who experience violence during pregnancy ranges from four percent to 20 percent.

Anti-GBV advocates say a history of abuse puts women at increased risk of long-term negative health consequences such as depression, suicide, chronic pain syndromes, and sexually transmitted diseases. These conditions require massive resources to manage.

Women who find themselves in this scenarios are unable to be productive, they are absent from work, spend a lot of money on treatment, or just die.

GBV and gender advocates have proposed some of the interventions that need to be pursued to manage the problem.

• Empowerment of women to ensure they meet their survival needs and reduce significantly their dependence on men.

• Donors and governments need to put more resources in gender based violence recovery programmes that attend to women who have been violated.

• Offer subsidised health services for gender based violence survivors.

• Safe houses for violated women and children should be build as transit points before they can be empowered to take charge of their own lives.

• Carry out civic education on the rights of women as human rights. This should target women, men and children.

• Support structural changes so that women have easy access to justice.

Cases of women and girls being take advantage of physically and sexually are on the increase not only locally but internationally as well.

According to Joshua Kitheka Organising Secretary Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEHIA) Kitui County, local house girls suffer in the hands of employers just like those who end up in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries. However, their cases are not highlighted as much.

Kitheka lamented that many girls and women had become victims of exploitation by employment bureaus after being exported to Saudi Arabia and other foreign countries.

“A number of cases also involve underage girls and boys who are paid peanuts and end being sexually and physically abused,” says Kitheka.

He noted that there are many cases of child labour in Kitui County among other parts of the country.

Many of them can be found selling ice-cream and groundnuts while others work in soap-making factories.

His sentiments echo a new research released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) which shows that girls have been misused as house-helps in the country.

Suppliers

The research indicates that Kitui, Busia and Kilifi counties are the major suppliers of house helps who are brought to Thika, Nairobi, Kitui, Machakos and Mombasa.

Poverty, ignorance, negligence, domestic violence and some outdated cultures as some of the factors that contribute to child labour.

According to James Ngari, Industrial Relations Officer with KUDHEIHA, it is through outdated cultures that some parents tend to value their sons more than girls.

“This behaviour creates a gap between boys and their sisters,” noted Ngari.

He reiterated that physical abuse by family members also contributed to human rights abuse and eventually child labour.

Ngari said that despite the provision of free primary education in the country, there were other school levies that parents could not afford to raise forcing many children to drop out of school and join the labour market. Some of these children, especially the girls end up being victims of sexual abuse when they are sent into households to offer labour and are assaulted physically by women employers and sexually by the men.

“The children accept low payments by their employers because they do not have negotiating skills,” Ngari noted.

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End Violence Against Women!

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

How stigma has characterised my long walk with HIV/AIDs

By DORCAS AKELLO

Support group

By JOHN MAINA

Distress call

Judy recalls that one Sunday evening when the husband came home to find a sick baby, he turned violent when she asked where he had been all the weekend and why he refused to answer her distress calls.

“When he got onto my nerves, I confronted him and demanded that he takes me back to my parents.

When he realised that I was extremely bitter, he turned violent to silence me.”

She claims that such violence is sanctioned by her community and that is why gender based violence will take forever to come to an end.

“When I went to seek refuge at my mother’s place, in the outcasts of Nakuru, she said she too was battered by my father, but persevered,” says Judy.

“Mother said that even presidents’ wives are beaten, and that indicates they are loved.”

Acceptance

He said that the lady left him when she saw the drugs. “She later on called me and we agreed to meet and talk but seemingly the lady was also sick. I therefore encouraged her to get tested and she later found out that she too was positive. After accepting her status she agreed to settle down

Culture, men irresponsibility perpetuating violence against women The gender empowerment and protection of women rights has enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya 2010 seems to be just statements that are yet to have meaning in the lives of Kenyan women.

One of the key indicators of this is, after many months since the Constitution was enacted and a raft of laws to operationalise it passed, women still face gender based violence at magnitudes that were witnessed before its enactment.

Take the cases of violence in Nakuru County. Most these cases are being perpetrated by enlightened men, who should know better about the repercussions of doing so. Yet, in the past it has been argued that violence is likely to be perpetrated by less educated men.

Experience and media reports show that well educated men spend much of their time in pubs and other recreational areas, where they used –up all the resources meant for the family upkeep. When their wives ask for an explaination, they turn violent. *Judy, said that her husband leaves home on a Friday, and the next time he sees him is on Sunday evening. When he comes, he has violent tendencies towards the family members.

When you first meet Almad Ouma Mingusa, what first hits you is his bright smile that lightens up a room and his humbleness which are an indication that he has definitely come from far to be where he is today and is happy to be still alive.

But when the 41-year old father who has seven children different mothers starts to tell his story, is when one realises that the smile is just an outside patch that covers what he has really gone through since he tested positive almost six years ago.

Mingusa who comes from Kosele village in Kasipul, Homabay County, first got ill on 31 December 2007. By that time he was living in Narok. He lost a lot of weight and just thought it was because of the consistent diarrhoea he was having.

“I went to the hospital got tested for almost every disease and they did not find anything. I really wanted to go back to the village to seek help first but the PostElection Violence could not allow me leave Narok,” he recalls.

He therefore had to wait till the violence was over, before he left Narok for his home area. And by that time he was already very weak.

On reaching there he sent for a woman who deals in traditional medicine, which he tried to use for a week but noticed no change instead he was just becoming more weak.

“One day my sickness became so serious that my brother had to rush me to Simbiri Health Center which is the nearest health center around here, I got tested, that is when I learnt that I was positive,” he notes.

According to Mingusa he accepted his fate and immediately, went to Kendu Bay Adventist Hospital where was put on antiretroviral drugs. But when he started taking them the drugs reacted badly with his body to the point of making him mad. “I even walked naked for some time” he recalls.

“But when I came back to my senses, I gathered all the courage and disclosed my status to my wife,” says Mingusa adding that; “ My wife told me that, ”if you are positive that will be a hard thing to accept,” and she started to mistreat me saying that she can not feed the children and feed me also.

According to him the mistreatments were so much that they had to go separate ways. He explains that after that he stayed without a wife for a whole year. He says that when later on he met a lady whom he wanted to marry and settle down with, he decided not to disclose his status to her at first.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Back home

“People should differentiate between HIV and witch craft, this is the reason so many people are dying in the village because they believe they have been bewitched and also others fear to know about their status because of fear of stigmatisation.”

— Almad Ouma Mingusa

with me and we now have a child together who is negative,” he explained.

Mingusa later on joined Alendu Support Group where he volunteers his time and carry out counseling to those who are HIV positive. He is also a Community Health Worker at Kendu Bay Adventist Hospital in Rachuonyo District, which has given him room to get more information and ideas about the disease.

“People should differentiate between HIV and witch craft, this is the reason so many people are dying in the village because they believe they have been bewitched and also others fear to know about their status because of fear of stigmatisation,” he notes.

He encourages people who have been tested and know of their status to go out and be advocates who champion for testing and also help those who have been tested and are in denial to help in curbing the disease especially in the rural areas.

“Sustaining basic nutrition is a chronic struggle in the face of food insecurity in this area. Those who live in these rural areas and survive on less than a dollar a day do not have access to the basics needed to live healthy, dignified lives,” he explains.

After two days, her mother compelled her to return to her husband saying her home was missing her and the husband needed someone to prepare food for him.

Judy believes the dependence on men by women is to blame for the unending violence they are subjected to.

Even in cases where women are the providers, violence seems not to end.

Women from Rhonda estate of Nakuru, popularly known for illegal brews confessed that they are the breadwinners for their families. Their men spend all the time in pubs.

Mary said even if she is subjected to violence, she shudders about walking out of her marriage and getting another man to marry her.

She says although she cooks, and buys clothes for her husband, he still subjects her to violence.

These stories tell one thing: gender based violence needs more than words, needs more convincing, and self-determination and conviction of the battered women to take action, if it has to end.

Equality This is because majority of the African men are yet to accept gender equality and behave humanely towards women.

In Nakuru County gender based violence has even led to death of women, but this seems not to move people.

What people need to know is that any violence has negative psychological, health, and economic effects on the woman, the children and the country as a whole. *Not her real name.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

19

Girls suffer rape in the hands of close relatives

By HUSSEIN DIDO Five year old Rose Wanjiku* from Meru County who is living in pain and sorrow after she went through multiple rape in the hands of people who were supposed to protect and mould her into being a responsible citizen.

She represents hundreds of young children who fall victim’s to paedophiles in Kenya and also a classic case of young girls whose human rights have been violated to degrading levels.

Tears freely flowed down her check as she narrated ordeal that she went through in the hands of her father and uncle. “It was late in the evening when my uncle requested me to accompany him to the farm where he undressed and did a shameful thing before he took me home,” explains wanjiku of her ordeal.

She could not tell the story to others because she feared it would embarrass her uncle and the family. She therefore decided to keep it to herself.

As if that was not bad enough, soon thereafter her real own father was to take advantage and raped her when her mother travelled to Thika.

Wanjiku says that all this time nobody noticed the changes in her including the way she was walking and behaving in desperation.

Ordeal

“My father and uncle did a bad habit on me and I cannot forgive them for this horrible and terrifying experience,” said Wanjiku. At this point she failed to control herself and tears went down her cheeks as she held on to the caregiver who had offered to give her a home and protection.

Two weeks after Wanjiku had been raped her teacher later noticed an unusual movement and behaviour. On probing further she told her what had taken place. The teacher took her to the hospital and later to Tumaini Children’s Rescue Centre in Meru.

At Tumaini, Wanjiku received counselling before being taken to the police station to record a statement. She later appeared in court where she testified to have justice prevail for her and others who have gone through similar challenges.

However, the journey towards getting justice has just begun with family wrangles dominating the scene. The mother has been pulling towards her husband in order to block prosecution.

The family swung into action to woo the child, influence police and court in order to settle the case out of the court.

Lucky enough the Tumaini Children’s Home stood firm with Wanjiku and blocked the family’s attempt to have the matter settled out of the court.

The girl was later abandoned by the family and left in the hands of the Children’s Rescue Centre that is providing her with shelter, food and education.

Abandoned

According to Wanjiku, none of her parents have visited since October last year when she testified at the court.

Wanjiku is not alone in the centre, she lives with 160 other children who have been abused and defiled by people who were to supposed to give them protection.

She does not want to go back home because her perpetrators are still out there and might harm her in revenge.

“I have got a place to call my home because nobody will do bad things to me as was the case with my father and

uncle,” says the young girl.

Her caretaker Irene Mwenda says she has been coping with the environment and doing well in school.

Wanjiku has had gone through a several counselling sessions at the Tumaini Transit Rescue Centre in Meru town.

According to Mwenda some cases are hard to pursue because most survivors come to them 72 hours after the rape took place.

“The process of establishing the facts, taking the child to the police and hospital is hectic because almost all the time is wasted and facts are covered up in between,” notes Mwenda.

She is angry that many cases at the centre involve families who defile or abuse the children while others have been assaulted by neighbours.

Two girls at the centre were raped by people whom they know but were yet to be prosecuted as police have failed to enforce the law.

“Many of these cases are as result of loss of moral values in the families and parents failing to take their responsibility in protecting their children,” observes Mwenda.

She says when the parent fail to provide for the family, the children are lured by presents and then defiled or raped by strangers or people known to them. The Centre hosts 36 young babies rescued from the larger Meru, Isiolo and Samburu counties.

Ripples International Director Mercy Chidi says she was forced to start the rescue centre after a girl they rescued from Female Genital Mutilation from Samburu was forced to undergo the cut after she was taken back home.

Chidi was disturbed that she did not manage to stop the practise even after hosting the girl for some time.

To date the organisation has been able to rescue 246 girls out of the forced marriage, female genital mutilation and sexual violence since its inception in 2006 through the effort of community volunteers and Children’s Office in areas where they operate.

“Increased community awareness and coordination between key stakeholders including the area advisory council has helped the girls realise their rights,” explains Chidi.

She regrets that the Government has not taken a serious stance in tackling gender based violence in the country despite the Sexual Offences Act being in place. “This is very serious because the Government has failed to prioritise gender based violence and give the much needed attention despite the International conventions that it is signatory to,” observes Chidi.

She regrets that some of the gender desks at the police stations have been turned into stores with no police officers to man them.

Chidi notes that women and especially rape victims undergo a lot of challenges before they can access justice.

“Increased community awareness and coordination between key stakeholders including the area advisory council has helped the girls realise their rights.”

— Mercy Chidi

Harassment

“Some of the officers are not taking keen on handling the cases and keep harassing and making fun of survivors of gender based violence who have gone to report,” she says.

She cites a case where a woman was raped by a police officer in Meru and

From top: Victims and parents demonstrate during the International Day of the girl child. *Rose who was raped by her uncle and father. Pictures: Hussein Dido then she was denied a chance to report the incident on the occurrence book.

“The woman was locked up in a police cell in order to silence her and cover up the case,” says Chidi.

The woman was later released after Chidi’s intervention and could not proceed with for fear of intimidation from the officers.

She also accuses the police of doing shoddy work during investigations on gender based violence cases, a situation which denies survivors’ access to justice.

“The police are able to act and investigate on cases of robbery with just a phone call but they are always reluctant to assist in helping cases of gender based violence,” says Chidi.

She cites a case where some police officers demanded KSh3,000 before they could handle a case of a woman who had been raped.

Petition

Recently Ripples International in its effort to promote justice for women and girls led 160 victims of defilement and other gender based violence in petitioning the state to address gender violation in Kenya.

The survivors stormed the Meru law courts to force the Government to act and enforce the law. The women were

joined by 10 girls aged between eight and 12 who were sexually assaulted filed a petition at the court against the state claiming that the police treatment of their rape claims violated their constitutional rights and international human rights law.

Accompanied by Chidi, lawyer Muthomi Thiankoru and Joyce Muriuki chairperson Maendeleo ya Wanawake Meru branch, the victims demanded that rapists be held accountable for sexual violence against girls and women. In the petition, they also accused the police of demanding bribes from them in order to act and investigate cases of violence in the area.

“Failure by the police to hold perpetrators of rape accountable for their violence has resulted in the creation of a climate of tolerance for the crime of defilement,” says Chidi.

Meru District Children’s Officer Benjamin Kinywa admitted that cases of children defilement and abuse have been on the rise in the area.

He said in the month of September alone 33 children were abandoned and there were 80 cases of abduction and three of defilement.

Kinywa said the police had failed to enforce the law and that there was need to have them trained in order to address challenges in the community.

20

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

‘He dug her grave, waiting for the day he would beat her to death’

By DORCAS AKELLO While in many communities not only violence against women is a taboo topic, but talking of a grave for someone who is still alive is unheard of.

Many a times such actions from someone are always considered out of line.

Therefore when Eunice Achieng decided to break the silence when she realised that it would be for her own good psychologically and physically as well as save the silent majority who are victims of the vice, her community were shocked.

Achieng dropped out of school when in Form Three because she was pregnant. She was then forced to marry a man more than twice her age out of desperation. However, the marriage was not a bed of roses as he was violent and would hit her at every opportunity.

Achieng was barely 18 years old when she became pregnant but the man responsible refused to take responsibility.

“My mother was so furious with me. Being the first born in the family and they had sacrificed almost everything for me to pursue my education. My father was not supportive and was totally mad,” she recalls.

Marriage

Achieng managed to stay with her parents until she gave birth to her son and after three months she was introduced to a man who was to become her husband.

On reaching the man’s home that is when reality hit her. She was not the only wife to the 42-yearold man but was fourth in line.

Achieng, who has three children recalls the straw that broke the camel’s back when one evening after serving him with supper at 9pm, he started accusing her of having extra-marital affairs.

When she attempted to deny the allegations, he became furious, took an iron rod and hit her hard on the head severally even as she bled profusely.

Says a bitter Achieng: “He hit me again and again on my arm. However, I found a strange strength within me and took hold of that iron rod.

I did not let go because I knew I was holding onto my life. His intention was to kill me.”

Escape

She tried shouting but neighbours were already used to their shouts so no one came to her rescue.

Her husband then locked the door and took the keys away with him. Later after he had fallen asleep, Achieng and one of her co-wives managed to break one window open which she used to escape.

“My co-wife told me that she was also escaping and would not want to leave me behind. She told me that my husband had prepared a grave in which to bury me if he had managed to kill me that night. I went and saw the grave,” says Achieng.

She managed to get to her parent’s home that night. They were shocked at what had happened to her and have helped her seek legal action. It is now about nine months and she is still fighting for justice.

“I am not going to lose this war even though I am financially unable. I have not been able to get my children whom I left behind. I believe one day I will get them back,” says Achieng. She adds: “They are the reason I still have the strength to keep hope alive that I will get justice.”

“My co-wives mistreated me because they wanted to see me give up the marriage and go back to my village. I did not want to leave because I did not want to let my parents down once again,” says Achieng. She explains: “In my community, that is the Luo, when a woman leaves her husband and goes back to her parent’s home it’s taken as a shame not only to her parents but herself as well.”

Achieng who hails from Oyugis town, Kasipul Kabondo Constituency, Homa Bay County says she had never seen an adult being told to lie down to receive strokes of the cane like a student. This is what her husband would to do to her and the

Eunice Achieng prepares chapatis at her home. Her husband occasionally gave her a beating with a cane. Picture: Dorcas Akello other wives.

She says this happened so many times that she started fearing for her own life and that of her child as the beating got worse with each passing day.

Injuries

“Just barely two months into my marriage, I got my first beating. I can tell you I was beaten like a small child, not even my dad had ever given me such a beating,” recalls Achieng.

At one point the man beat her so badly that he broke her arm and did not take her to hospital.

Instead he put her under house arrest and treated

her himself with the little medical experience that he had until she recovered.

According to Benta Ndinda Otieno, a woman leader and church pastor, women in the rural area are afraid to speak out about being battering because most of them are ignorant of the law and their rights.

“These women do not know what steps to take whenever they leave their husbands. They also fear the shame and stigma associated with the separation or divorce,” explains Otieno. She notes: “Here there are no lobby groups like those in big cities that can help battered women and that is why many of them suffer in silence.”

Girls, boys not spared from sexual assault

By HENRY NEONDO New trends are emerging as opposed to before where only women could be referred to Sexual and Gender Based Violence Recovery Centres more children both boys and adolescents girls are now being referred to GBV Recovery Centres at the Coast.

According to a study at the Coast General Hospital in Mombasa 55 per cent of sexual and gender based violence survivors are children below 15 years, 83 per cent of them being girls.

The report indicates that rape and sodomy constitute 86 per cent of reported cases.

“Children are the majority of survivors brought to the Sexual Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre in Mombasa which caters for the population around the Coast Province,” said Dr Soita Musimbi.

Musimbi noted that 75 per cent of the perpetrators are known to the victims and they are either neighbours, relatives or close family friends. He observed that the proportion of assaults committed against boys reduced with the age of the child.

“Older children were more likely to be assaulted later in the day and by multiple perpetrators. Most recorded injuries were perennial,” explained Musimbi. He added: “The majority

of children are assaulted by people they trusted.

The epidemiological correlates of maltreatment differ for younger and older children.”

Although most of the sexual gender based violence recovery centres were set up to address the plight of abused women in Kenya, children form part of the patients being attended to as they have not been spared.

According to Lou Dierick, Director of Support Services at the International Centre for Reproductive Health child sexual violence exists but communities treat it as a taboo topic.

“The revelations from the Mombasa call for policy change that would integrate Sexual Gender Based Violence Recovery Centres in public health system,” Dierick said during Integration for Impact 2012 conference held in Nairobi recently.

Statistics

Wilkister Bosire of Haki Yenu project revealed that a rape is reported in Kenya every 30 minutes and that 12 per cent of Kenyan women say their sexual debut was through coercion.

Dierick observed that mid to long term factors that tend to let communities accept and tolerate rape, intimate partner violence and sexual abuse of children must be addressed. “Lack of sexual child abuse data compounds campaigns against the vice,” he added.

He said many communities in Mombasa know the problem exists but it is shrouded in silence, and assumed to be culturally a taboo issue.

However, Dierick said sexual gender based violence recovery centres have shown that there is hope noting that change may take time and required long term campaigns to achieve the needed change of attitudes.

“This will have to be done through several meetings, events and campaigns,” Dierick explained.

He noted that lessons from Mombasa show that tackling sexual gender based violence requires an interdisciplinary approach involving medical, psycho-social and legal players.

He called for integration of sexual gender based violence recovery centres in public health facilities as opposed to the current scenario where they are treated as a temporary intervention does not augur well for the victims.

According to Dierick the integration will require investment in forensics equipment, supplies, trained personnel, training of paralegals for community work, casualty staff, creation of referral services and rolling out gender based violence recovery centres from provincial to district levels.

However, Elizabeth Aroka from the Sexual Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre in

Mombasa said although the centre was created through private/public partnership between Ministry of Health and International Centre for Reproductive Health to provide 24 hour care for survivors of sexual gender based violence, the model can only be sustainable if there is ownership by the health community.

Care centre

She noted that having a post rape care centre situated next to the casualty of a public hospital increases access to services for the population that needs it most.

“The key lesson learned in the Mombasa model is the need to integrate legal services in a hospital based facility as this enhances access to information and strengthens referrals to the justice system,” explained Aroka.

Her sentiments were supported by Bosire who noted that such an arrangement helped survivors to easily overcome barriers in accessing justice besides boosting the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act of 2006.

Aroka pointed there would be need for staff training and motivation.

“Already many healthcare centres are strained with high turnover of staff which impact on services rendered leading to long waiting time and poor coordination and supervision of staff,” Aroka observed.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

Amina Ahmed:

21

Peace and tranquillity are the hallmark of her life

By ADOW KALIL

She overcame stereotypes in a society where women are regards as children and cannot address elders or men. However, her erstwhile efforts to see peace reign has seen her being accommodated to sit with the elders and in peace committees.

The name Amina Hassan Ahmed may not ring a bell to majority of Kenyans outside Northern region, but in the tail end County of Mandera, it is a household name synonymous to peace brokering.

Born in Ijara District 45 years ago to a father who was a career soldier at the height of Shifta war, Amina learnt the negative effects of conflicts at a young age as her father was repeatedly taken away by his duty to pursue bandits terrorising the residents.

“My father on many occasion stayed away from us due to his job and the prevailing insecurity induced by the Shifta activities then. We rarely had time to be with him,” explains Amina.

She adds: “At the time I was too young to comprehend, that what I was facing was the impact of insecurity, which would later be my pet subject.”

Introduction

Amina got a rude introduction to the effects of conflict on children, families, societies and the wider country at tender age and decided in her mind then, that she would assist in peace-making when she grows old.

However, the worst effects of conflict awaited her back at her ancestral home in Mandera where she was posted as a P2 teacher after graduating from Shanzu Teachers Training College in 1987.

“At the time, the district was recovering from one of its the many inter-clan conflicts pitting the Garreh and Murulle Somali clans over pasture and grazing fields,” Amina says.

“I saw many people from both clans uprooted from their original homes, many women widowed and hundreds of innocent children orphaned after hitherto friendly communities turned against each other along the unacceptable tribal lines,” Amina recalls. She says: “I saw a huge deployment of armed security personnel whose presences could not thwart the disturbances.

Lessons

“From the incident, I learnt that for a durable harmonious co-existence between communities to be achieved you need more than the deployment of contingents of an armed security personnel.

“People need to dialogue and willingly embrace each other and this was missing in the government policies in security management and administrations,” notes Amina. “During the operation all armed clan militia crossed the porous border with Somali just to sneak back to cause more havoc shortly after the presence of security officers was scaled down,” she adds.

“It was just a game of ping-pong between the government forces and the clan bandits,” she notes.

This gap prompted the birth of Women for Peace and Development Organisation in 2000 and since then Amina has never turned back in the realisation of lasting and amicable peace in the district.

“In our analyses of the conflicts together with 29 other founder members, we found that women were the most vulnerable in all forms of conflict in the region. If it is not rape, the woman was being widowed or losing a son as a result of the conflict,” she says.

Amina notes that underdevelopment experi-

enced in the region can be traced to the incessant clan skirmishes that divert a huge chunk of the region’s budgetary allocations for development to security.

A former North-Eastern PC Mohamud Swaleh concurs: “Many private investors are shunning investing in this region, particularly Mandera due to the disturbing reports of recurrent conflicts; they read on the papers or seen in TVs. No serious investor can risk put his/her money in fluid situation” she regrets.

Just last month more than 12 people were killed in Rhamu in Mandera Central Constituency and Banisa in Mandera West Constituency after the latest inter-clan conflict flared-up between Garre and Degodia communities.

Observation

Swaleh who is Kenya’s ambassador to SaudiArabia once observed that arbitrating the warring clans and mobilising security apparatus consumes thousands of millions of budgetary allocations to the region at the expense of developmental projects.

Amina Peace as she is popularly known by the people of Mandera County has won accolades for her relentless efforts in peace including the head of state commendation in 2005 in recognition of her contribution to peace building in the clash prone County.

An Early Childhood Development (ECD) teacher, Amina says pastoralists communities in Northern Kenya from as far as Samburu to Mandera; Turkana to Moyale, Isiolo to Ijara have been battling with a myriad social-economic and political problems that makes them easily provoked at the slightest disagreements with their neighbours or incitement.

“Here there is vicious circle of disasters that makes our communities impatient. When it’s not drought, it’s flash floods, if it’s not the floods it’s the animal diseases, if not the diseases, it is clan confrontations,” she explains.

In bid to inculcating ownership of peace among the communities, Amina who is the Executive Co-Coordinator of Mandera Women for Peace and Development says they have formed 25 locational peace committees comprising of youth, elders, women, religious leaders and the local administration in all trouble spots. These are in areas of grazing and watering as well as along the borders with Somalia. The committees are trained on peace building and arbitration to help address issues likely to compromise tranquillity in their locality.

The organization further started peace clubs at 20 secondary and primary schools in urban centres of Mandera District. It also trained 35 teachers as peace patrons in order to inculcate peace values to students who have been victims of occurrences of conflict especially the 2008 skirmishes that saw violence spreading to main towns.

Education

“Schools are closed when there is no stability and by introducing peace values in mind of the school children help us since they advocate the gospel of peace to their senior at home. This has real worked well even more than our expectations,” says Amina.

“Since we established the peace committees at the lowest levels of the clan conflicts, resource based frictions between communities has drastically gone down and the people now have time to direct their energies on personal developments,” she observes.

However, it was not easy at the beginning.

Born in a community where women’s roles are limited to childbearing and taking care of their husband’s need at the home, Amina managed to

“Here there is vicious circle of disasters that makes our communities impatient. When it’s not drought, it’s flash floods, if it’s not the floods it’s the animal diseases, if not the diseases, it is clan confrontations.”

— Amina Hassan Ahmed surmount the cultural stereotypes and barriers to score big in becoming a distinguished peace broker and shrewd mediator between the warring clans in the region.

On many occasions she withstood firmly and without much ado criticism, mudslinging and attempted distractions from her peace mission by conservative Somali male chauvinists, who thought her bid to involve in a peace mission was culturally unacceptable and doomed to achieve little.

been killed oblivious of her death. The conflict then swept an entire village.

Also etched in her mind is the 2008 clan fight between Garreh and Murulle Somali clans in Mandera District.

“At the time, trouble permeated into the urban centres such as Mandera town, unlike other preceded conflicts which largely concentrated on the far-flung villages. Many houses and business premises in the town were torched down by the rival clan youths,” she says.

Hassan Haji Ahmed says: “At first we thought our daughter was running crazy when she started her peace mission. Traditionally, mediation and peace brokering has been the exclusive of old bearded men and we as the area elders felt betrayed by the local administration’s bid to bring her into some of our arbitration talks.”

He adds: “We later welcomed her after we found her resourceful and hard working. Her organisation was also the lead facilitator to numerous peace meetings.”

According to Amina, at the initial stages of her organisation’s peace efforts she was not welcomed by the traditional patriarchal community leaders. In many instances, she was intimidated by men who refused to admit her into the interclan peace dialogue for the simple reason that she was a woman, who by custom had nothing to offer adding that she was never discouraged since she was committed to seeing an end to perennial clan skirmishes in her district and between the communities.

Today many in the remote border County embrace Amina for her unselfish bravery to ensure a peaceful co-existence between rival clans came into a reality.

The former pupil of St George’s Primary School in Ruiru observes that her lowest time in her peace activities was during the deadly interclan skirmishes in Wajir in 2000 where she witnessed an infant clinging to his mother who had

Amina notes that most of the conflicts in the region are politically instigated but it is always blamed on disputes over grazing fields and watering points.

“Every clan leader in the Northern region wants to protect their perceived ancestral lands for their respective ‘communities’ and they use any means available to drive others out.

“However, due to our efforts majority of pastoralists’ are now learning their leaders selfish tricks of manipulating them against each other to their disadvantage,” the peace broker says.

Mandera Women for Peace and Development which started as a community based organisation is now registered as regional organisation Horn of Africa Women Empowerment Network-Kenya (HAWENKA) to champion for peace and dialogue. This was after its peace efforts were recognised regionally.

Amina was born in 1966 in a tiny village in Ijara District; to a family of three brothers and three sisters. She joined St. George’s Primary School in Ruiru, Juja Constituency in 1973, where she did her CPE and later joined Kikuyu Township Secondary School for forms one and two. She would later transfer and eventually did her “A” level examinations at North-Eastern Provincial Girls’ Secondary School 1983.

She graduated this year from a university in Tanzania, with Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies.

Betrayal

Conflicts

22

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

Peace and security must be everyone’s business

By DUNCAN MBOYAH As the up-coming General Election approaches everyone seems to be uneasy and this includes ordinary Kenyans, the investors and even donors.

The memories of what followed the 2007 post-election violence that led to the deaths of many people and destruction of property worth billions of shillings is still fresh in everyone’s mind.

Meet any Kenyan anywhere what seems to pre-occupy their mind is the outcome of the coming elections that are due in March 2013.

When you travel to up-country the question that seems to greet you is; “Do you think the election will be peaceful?”

According to Yvette Chesson, establishment Coordinator of the Angie Brooks International Centre, a nongovernmental organisation promoting women’s empowerment, peace should be everyone’s business.

She reinforced the fact that it is women who hold peace at hand and must go out through coalitions to call for peaceful elections.

“There is need to form dynamic processes between women and youth against electoral violence as the polls approach,” Chesson said during a high level conference on women, peace and security in Nairobi.

Credibility

A lead advocate of peace in Liberia and Senegal during recent national elections, Chesson noted that from experience in Africa, scheduled elections also means scheduled violence, a habit that must be addressed before the electioneering period begins through awareness creation.

She told the delegates during a meeting held recently that Kenya comes first before politics adding that

all women leaders must have credibility to be able to address peace and security issues before members of the public.

“We succeeded in Liberia because the public found us credible and trusted. This made our work easier and everyone accepted our proposals,” she said.

Chesson told women leaders to engage the children, youths and media as well as religious and traditional leaders by giving them tools to use in preaching peace during elections.

She warned that failure to engage the media may lead to irresponsible journalism that may end up dividing the country into political party blocks.

Restraint “The media must be told to tone down some of their writings and broadcasts that are quoted from irresponsible political leaders,” she adviced.

She suggested that a memorandum of understanding be set up and signed by all political party representatives and polling agents to ensure that peace and security is maintained during the electioneering period.

Chesson warned women not to rely on the government to create peace and security for them adding that peace is owned by the people and it is the people who must see the value of maintaining peace and security at all times.

“Our core role is having a peaceful and healthy future generation as opposed to having internal displaced persons dotted in most parts of the country,” she said.

Caution

She warned the youth to avoid politicians who use them to cause terror against their opponents adding that the same politicians have their children studying abroad.

Chesson noted that helping put Ke-

nya on fire would not help any of the youth but instead they should engage political class on the real issues affecting them rather than be misused to cause chaos and mayhem amongst fellow citizens.

Convenor

“Why live in conflict when the politicians’ children are going to school?” she posed to the participants who included women leaders drawn from all parts of the country.

In 2009, Chesson was the Manager of the International Women’s Colloquium, the largest gathering of women leaders in the world, which was coconvened by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and President Tarja Halonen of Finland. The meeting was attended by over 2,000 women from all walks of life.

From 2006-2008, Chesson was Elections Judge for the State of Maryland, and Chief Elections Judge. She was also concurrently the Senior Domestic Relations Attorney for the Legal Aid Bureau in Maryland, USA. She was an attorney with the Bureau for nearly 20 years.

Mentor

She has been an advocate for Liberia for more than 20 years in the United States and abroad at the White House, US Congress, ECOWAS, UN Security Council, all branches of Liberian Government and many Liberian communities worldwide.

Today, Chesson spends her time instilling confidence and introducing training initiatives to promote life skills for disadvantaged girls around Monrovia.

Through her effort they started a massive movement of professional Liberians across the United States to stop the war in Liberia by influencing the US

government, ECOWAS and the United Nations.

Chesson, a lawyer by profession obtained a Juris doctorate law degree with honours from the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law. She is a recipient of several awards and certification.

She is a Counsellor-at-law, member of several bars including the United States Supreme Court Bar and professional associations such as the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL).

Yvette Chesson establishment Coordinator of the Angie Brooks International Centre. She says that women hold piece at hand and must call for peaceful elections.

Picture: Reject Correspondent

Security concerns to be addressed through the National Action Plan

By FAITH MUIRURI A National Action Plan (NAP) is being developed to guide in the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325.

The action plan is being spearheaded by the National Gender and Equality Commission, through the support of UN Women and the Government of Finland.

The plan which is set to be launched soon, will be rolled out in 2013 to help ensure the inclusion and equal participation of women in peace keeping and conflict prevention at the local level.

According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development, Ambassador Franklin Espila, the action plan is in compliance with Resolution 1325 and seeks to ensure that women participate in formal decision making structures and increase their representation in ongoing peace processes.

The UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security underscores the crucial role that women play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, repatriation, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconciliation and reconstruction.

Approach

Espila said the National Action Plan will adopt a multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral approach to help bridge the gender gap in peace building initiatives.

He said this when addressing a high level meeting on women, peace and security in Nairobi organised by the United Nations Women and the National Gender and Equality Commission with support of the Government of Finland. He noted that the National Action Plan is premised on a

theme dubbed “To involve women is to sustain peace” and aims at increasing the participation of women in decision making levels, institutions and mechanism for the prevention and resolution of conflicts.

According to Espila the action plan also seeks to prevent violation of women’s rights by mainstreaming a gender perspective in all processes of conflict prevention, resolution and peace building.

“The adoption of the National Action Plan will pave way for the effective and timely participation of women in recovery programs including disarmament processes,” Espila observed.

Relevance

He said that integration of a gender perspective in ongoing peace processes is vital if peace and development has to be achieved.

“The Constitution has opened space for women to ascertain the protection of their rights and equal participation at all levels of governance including peace building initiatives,” he noted.

However, Espila reiterated that the country is faced with challenges on how to achieve the two thirds gender principle.

“I, therefore, call on Kenyans to register in large numbers and to also campaign and vote for women during the up-coming elections to help bridge the gender gap. This will ensure that women concerns on security are addressed at high levels of participation,” he stressed.

At the same time, he said women concerns on security can only be addressed if all Kenyans, donors and civil society organisations renew their commitment and provide resources for the implementation of the action plan.

His sentiments were echoed by Betty Murungi, a gender and conflict expert who says that lack

of resources continues to impede the implementation of Resolution 1325 in the country.

Murungi noted that the situation has been compounded by lack of political will and the absence of a clear line of responsibility in the National Action Plan.

She said the National Action Plan will act as an impetus for women who are currently seeking justice against violations and atrocities committed against them and enable women to participate in governance and conflict resolution mechanisms.

Goodwill

Chairperson of National Gender and Equality Commission Winfred Lichuma said that the adoption of the action plan will ensure women actively participate in the ongoing peace building initiatives.

She at the same time called on the Government to allocate resources towards the implementation of the action plan to help raise the visibility of women engaged in peace building and security processes.

Commissioner Lichuma said the implementation of peace building initiatives will now take a coordinated approach to avoid duplication of efforts and a disjointed process that has little impact.

“We must try to consolidate ongoing peace initiatives to avoid fragmentation. This will help us adopt a unified approach in all the peace issues,” Lichuma noted.

She said that the National Action Plan will be simplified and women sensitised on existing legislations on Resolution 1325 to help enhance their participation in respective peace committees.

At the same time, Lichuma cautioned that unless the National Action Plan enjoys political goodwill, women may never enjoy it.

She intimated that the Commission is currently lobbying Office of the President to house the Action plan as this will help marshal the required political support.

“We need to identify ways through which we can capture the political good will. Without the political will, we can have a good document but may never enjoy it,” she reiterated.

The Commission is waiting for the steering committee to validate the plan. “Once it is validated, the Action Plan will be ready for use,” she noted.

The Commission will monitor and evaluate progress made in the implementation process.

Strategy

According to Zebib Kavuma, UN women Country Director Kenya will become the ninth African country to develop a National Action Plan on implementing UNSCR 1325.

“This plan, when it is finally released, will consist of Kenya’s strategy, specific goals and actions that must be taken in order to guarantee full and equal participation of women in all peace and security initiatives,” Kavuma noted.

She said that the protection of women, girls and boys, from sexual and gender based violence during and after conflict is highly pegged on inclusion of women in peace and security initiatives and in post conflict recovery processes.

The National Action Plan, Kavuma noted, will help create and strengthen accountability mechanisms to prevent the suffering of women at the hands of perpetrators of violence.

“Once the National Action Plan is in place, women needs in peace building efforts, especially in post conflict contexts will be addressed adequately,” she noted.

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

23

Stuck on the frontier - the unheard voices from Baragoi

By JONATHAN NAMUNAI When the Kenyan media outlets were awash with the shocking news of the deaths of more than forty police officers in Suguta Valley Baragoi Samburu following a fierce exchange of gunfire with heavily armed bandits, no one knew of the gross implications this misfortune will later impact on the communities residing on the dreaded battlefield zone most of them women and children who were largely vulnerable to the outcomes of the conflict.

The news spread not only here in Kenya but also to different parts of the world and the Kenyan government was compelled to quickly dispatch a heavy contingent of security forces drawn from virtually all sections of the police forces and an additional troop from the Kenyan military otherwise popularly known as KDF to contain the menace in the region. Indeed it was one of the darkest moments in the Kenyan Police force history since independence.

The arrival of the Kenyan security forces in Baragoi region was not received with a sense of relief by majority of the people in Baragoi. This

led to thousands of them mostly women and children, to flee from the area thronging Maralal town the Samburu County Headquarters’ for fear of reprisal, harassment, and atrocities committed against them by the government forces.

Rebeca Namwai an internally displaced mother of three in Maralal who fled from her Nachola village home in Baragoi, she has since settled in the sprawling Loikas slums in Maralal town sharing a single roomed mud walled dilapidated shanty with her eighty year old grandmother Teresa Ngokor, her two children, and her late sister’s four children who were orphaned by HIV/AIDS. This brings the total number of people sharing the one roomed house to eight. Apart from lacking adequate shelter, Rebeca must also struggle hard to fend for other aspects of her economic survival without a specified source of income.

Her situation is further aggravated by the absence of her four year old son whom she left under the care of her husband in Nachola as she was unable to cater for the needs of all the children upon fleeing to Maralal. “I fear for the

life, security, and well-being of my child. I do not know what his situation is like right now” says Rebecca with tears welling in her eyes.

From the look on her face, Rebeca is sad about the kind of living she is undergoing and hopes to go back home one day.

Jeniffer Loriu another displaced mother of four shares a similar predicament with her friend Rebeca. Since fleeing to Maralal, Jeniffer has been eking out her living doing all sorts of menial jobs in her neighbourhood while living with her relative.

She doesn’t know the whereabouts of her husband since the time of departure with her children from Baragoi. “I do not even know whether my husband is alive or killed during the tribal clashes that escalated in the area. I will rather stay hungry here than going back to Baragoi and get killed” Jeniffer says. Many of the displaced women interviewed mostly came from families impoverished by decade long tribal conflicts perpetuated by inter communal livestock raids in the security volatile Samburu North region. Some say they are not sure of going back to Baragoi.

After all, their livestock which forms the core part of their economic living were driven away by raiders. The presence of government security forces was perhaps the final red flag that forced them out of their original settlements to start new lives elsewhere.

The Kenya Red Cross had put the number of people displaced from Baragoi to Maralal at 5,400. Gitonga Mugambi the Kenya Red Cross Samburu branch coordinator said the displaced families were living in integrated settings by staying with relatives and friends.

So far there has not been a set out government plan to formally settle the displaced persons who are mainly spread in Maralal town’s surroundings which include: Loikas, Milimani, Ngari, and Lporos areas.

Their fate is still yet unknown as many are stuck between a rock and a hard place without a proper place to call home. Speaking to THE REJECT, they appealed to the government and all well-wishers to come to their help as they say they are in dire need of adequate food, shelter and health care many of them being women and children.

Break the silence of cross border violence

By PROMISE BALOYI A gun shot brought Amina* back to her senses and she started looking around. She could only see bushes around her. Women and children were being held captive by a gang of young and old men. The men wore filthy clothes.

Over 25 women and crying babies were sleeping on the ground. The men were holding these people including Amina captive in a deep forest. Some of the men kept their distance and seemed to have been assigned to different posts to guard the small camp.

She wanted to escape but was not able to having already exhausted every plan she could think of. The sight of the naked woman lying on the ground on top of some thorn bushes as punishment brought tears to her eyes. The woman had attempted to escape earlier that morning but the men brought her back. They beat her up, stripped her naked and raped her in full view of everyone including the children.

Had that woman known that the Magumagumas would violate her in this way she would have never tried to cross the border illegally.

The men only gave them dirty water from Limpopo River to drink as they did not have any food.

Amina regretted taking her friend’s advice. She felt that her friends had betrayed her.

Raped

At 16 years Amina never thought she would ever be raped in her life by any man and let alone by 13 men.

Today, she is traumatised by what she went through when she tried to cross the border from Zimbabwe into South Africa.

“You can even come without a passport. All you need is to pay 250 rands and there are some men who will assist you cross the border,” her friends said. They told her she would be assisted to get into South Africa where it is easy to make money. They told Amina it would be easy for her to get a job to help support her poor family.

Having gone through the rape or-

deal, Amina regretted not listening to her grandmother who did not want her to leave. No condition at home warranted such gruesome experiences.

As reality hit her Amina saw a young man come running and whisper to the man-in-charge at the camp.

He then stood up and started pointing at people including Amina as if selecting them.

The man choose only nine people. The men pushed down or beat up women and children who stood up without being asked to.

Four men ordered Amina and the other eight women to follow them. They walked for about a kilometre before reaching a white pick-up truck.

Pain

As they were walking Amina felt some pain in her abdomen and something scratching between her legs. She slowly put her hand under the blue skirt she was wearing and pulled out a yellow plastic, almost screaming from the pain.

Then she remembered how some of the men who had raped her had used the plastic as a condom. Then someone pushed her from behind and gave her a sign to move quickly. They were told to jump into the pickup truck.

The leader then paid the driver some money and he drove off. The gang remained behind watching as the car drove away.

Tears welled in Amina’s eyes as she recalled how the men had searched her belongings and took away anything they thought was of value. The driver of the pick-up dropped them off at an old church building.

At the gate only six people were allowed in. The rest were turned away from what Amina later learnt was a woman’s shelter.

Women carrying their belongings at the South African border. Cross border violence is rife in the area. Picture: Courtesy A woman who seemed to be the matron at the centre welcomed them and said they would get food and a place to sleep but would have to leave after two days.

“Is this South Africa? Is this what I left my home for?” Amina kept on asking herself.

Her ordeal was not over. Amina got pregnant from the rape and she also contracted HIV.

Better life

Amina’s story is an example of the many cases of violence against women which go unreported as they try to get

into South Africa for a better life. All these women have sad stories to share but do not have anyone to tell. They think that through telling their stories as Amina did they will heal and move on with their lives. They want to tell other women who want to cross the border illegally that the grass is not always greener on the other side and that if they want to come to South Africa, they must get the right documentation.

As we mark this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, society should strongly condemn these acts. A lot of these cases

lead to new born babies being abandoned because the women do not want to keep them.

These women might not have the right papers to allow them to cross the border but no one has the right to take advantage of them in such an inhumane way.

Let us break the silence on cross border gender based violence! *Not her real name. Promise Baloyi works for Musina Community Radio.

This article is part of the GL Opinion and Commentary Service series for the Sixteen Days of Activism against Gender Violence.

24

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

End Violence Against Women!

ISSUE 074, December 10, 2012

Women must be at the peace negotiation table

By FAITH MUIRURI Kenyan women are still grappling with very low numbers of representation at the peace negotiation tables even as the world marks 12 years after the unanimous adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325.

The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security underscores the crucial role that women play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, repatriation, humanitarian response and in postconflict reconciliation and reconstruction.

The resolution particularly emphasises the importance of women’s equal participation and full involvement in all peace and reconciliation efforts.

But what is shocking is that despite the Kenyan Government has ratified UNSCR 1325; this has not translated into women being part of the peace negotiation tables.

Exclusion

Despite all these, there is a gap between policy and practice and women in the country remains largely excluded from peace and security processes despite their efforts to preserve social order, educate for peace at the grassroots and advocate for the equitable distribution of resources at the national level.

According to Betty Murungi, a gender and conflict expert, marginalization continues to hinder efforts to build sustainable peace and stable communities in the country.

“Women’s rights are not overtly addressed, while their recommendations are excluded from final agreements,” said Murungi during a high level conference on Women, Peace and Security held in Nairobi.

She cited the inclusion of only two women in the Kofi Annan peace talks in 2008 after violence rocked the country following the disputed presidential poll, both of whom were affiliated to political party systems.

She said that women voices were missing in the negotiating table despite the fact that they bore the highest brunt in the conflict.

Statistics

Director General, United Nations office in Nairobi Sahle-Work Zewde shared similar concerns and said the representation of women in formal peace processes and negotiations remain unacceptably low.

She noted that this is despite the fact that they are the hardest hit in times of crisis and estimated that 1,500 women were raped and infected with HIV during the post-election violence of 2007.

She revealed that a study conducted by UN Women in 2009 of 21 major peace processes since 1992 showed that women participation is strikingly low. That only 2.4 per cent of signatories of peace agreements were women and no woman has been appointed chief or lead mediator in UN sponsored peace talks.

Women’s participation in negotiation’s delegation only averaged a mere 5.9 per cent. “Yet we are fully aware of the role women play in peacebuilding and more importantly know that their participation remains imperative and critical to ensure that their interests and needs are reflected and addressed,” Zewde noted.

Zewde said that women’s contribution to

peace-building is vital as they add immense value to peace processes.

“We can learn from countries that have made remarkable strides in including women in peace processes and have made a difference.

Within the African continent, we saw the role women played in Burundi, Liberia, Sierra Leone and even in Somalia where women created the “sixth clan” to influence the male dominated peace process in Djibouti in 2000,” observed Zewde. She added: “Women will not only speak about the ‘so-called’ women’s issues, but will speak on behalf of the voiceless, bringing the needs of the silent majority and critical mass to the table which until now has been dominated by men.”

In a keynote address, Zewde said that the inclusion of women helps to develop sustainable peace which has an impact politically, socially and economically.

“The inclusion of women in peace processes should never be an option; it is a requirement and a right. It is impossible to achieve ever lasting peace and security in a nation, if women are not at that table as they represent over half of the population,” she affirmed. Zewde reiterated that men must ensure that women are at the table and that women’s rights are meaningfully addressed and included in peace agreements, conflict management, judicial reforms, security sector, in service provisions and in truth and reconciliation processes.

Achievements

However, Zewde noted that Kenya had made remarkable achievements and cited the inclusion of provisions of the resolutions in the new constitution with the two thirds principle, affirmative action and the bill of rights; She also mentioned the government’s Blue-

Dignitaries during recent peace talks. Inclusion of women in peace processes should never be an option. Picture: Reject Correspondent print, Vision 2030 which has recognised social pillar as one of the key driver of economic growth and this is where women can make a difference.

And currently the development of the Kenya National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 which is being spearheaded by the National Commission on Gender and Development, through the support of UN Women and the Government of Finland will now put in place mechanism to ensure that women participate at the negotiation tables in a meaningful manner.

Kenya continues to show commitment to the provisions of UNSCR 1325 and this is demonstrated by signing the Declaration on SGBV in Kampala last year.

“The inclusion of women in peace processes should never be an option; it is a requirement and a right. It is impossible to achieve ever lasting peace and security in a nation, if women are not at that table as they represent over half of the population.”

— Sahle-Work Zewde

Executive Director: Rosemary Okello Editor: Jane Godia Sub-Editors: Joyce Chimbi, Mercy Mumo, Carolyne Oyugi and Faith

Muiruri

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Disparities

However, Winfred Lichuma, chairperson of National Gender and Equality Commission insisted that much still needs to be done.

She noted that women have been excluded from the very structures and mechanisms that make decisions on issues affecting them and their security.

“The country has done poorly in terms of women representation in decision making levels with the number of women in Parliament currently, translating to a mere nine per cent compared to countries such as Rwanda which has the highest representation of women in Parliament at 56 per cent,” Lichuma noted.

However, she reiterated that all is not lost for Kenyan women as the Constitution in Article 27 (8) now provides that not more than two thirds of members in elective and appointive bodies shall be of the same gender.

At the same time, Lichuma challenged women to push for the realisation of the principle since no right can be granted on a silver platter.

“The Constitution is just a legal framework and cannot guarantee us seats. Women need to push for the realisation of the gender principle as enshrined in the Constitution as no right can be realised on a silver platter,” she noted.

She said that many women suffered during the 2007-2008 post-election violence and thus the need for the government to put adequate measures to avert similar incidents.

At the same time she noted that the Government is yet to prosecute perpetrators of the post election violence. “Although some of the suspects are facing trial at the ICC, very little has been done at the local level to bring justice to the victims.

Her sentiments were echoed by Zebib Kavuma, UN Women Country Director who noted that very little has been done to address the injustices committed during the violence that erupted after the 2007 General Elections.

“The violence and horror that ravaged the country in 2007-2008 wrought negative psychological, emotional, physical and economic impact on all Kenyans and more specifically on Kenyan women,” Kavuma noted adding that it has also not been addressed.

Action plan

She observed that the country is preparing for another General Election and called for implementation of the National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 which seeks to ensure the inclusion of women in peace keeping and conflict prevention processes.

Kavuma underscored the need to increase gender awareness on conflict prevention processes and include women in peace negotiations, ensure the protection of women and children from sexual and gender based violence, and importantly to respond to the needs of women refugees and internally displaced persons in Kenya ahead of the elections.

She called for the creation and strengthening of accountability mechanisms to prevent the suffering of women at the hands of perpetrators of violence.

Contributors: Odhiambo Orlale, John Ndeta, Charles Ngeno, Henry Owino, Ben Oroko, Nzinga Muasya, Oloo Janak, Hussein Dido, Larry Kimori, Robert Wanjala, John Maina, Arthur Okwemba,Charles Ngeno, Robby Ngojhi, Boniface Mulu, Mweri Mayenge, Dorcas Akello, Henry Neondo, Adow Kalil, Duncan Mboyah, Promise Baloyi, Kakai Masega.

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