PBI-Kenya accompanies march in Nairobi demanding an end to femicide and justice for Elizabeth Ibrahim Ekaru

PBI-Kenya outside the Supreme Court of Kenya in Nairobi, January 11.

On January 12, PBI-Kenya tweeted: “Yesterday #WHRDs and #HRDs across Kenya demonstrated against the increase in femicide and violence against women in Kenya, after the murder of #WHRD Elizabeth Ekaru.”

Elizabeth Ibrahim Ekaru was murdered on January 3 in the town of Isiolo.

The Star reports that in that community situated 285 kilometres north of Nairobi: “Women rights activists, civil society groups and the public joined in the peaceful procession to protest the killings of other Kenyan women as well.”

Women’s rights defender Alice Karori told the Star: “We marched to the County Commissioner of Isiolo’s office where we presented our petition against the killing of our very own rights defender Elizabeth and other women who died through femicide.”

That article adds: “They also submitted a petition, which sought for a speedy investigation into the killings of Ekaru, to the county commissioner’s office.”

AmKenyan also reports: “Human rights defenders on Tuesday [January 11] held protests in at least six counties to condemn the murder of environment and land activist Elizabeth Ibrahim-Ekaru.”

That article continues: “In Nairobi, protestors were led by women human rights defender Rachael Mwikali from, the Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, the Social Justice Centres Working Group among other groups. They petitioned the judiciary at the Supreme Court of Kenya before proceeding to Harambee House where they presented another petition to the Office of The President.”

And YWLI, a feminist centre based in Nairobi, tweeted: “Femicide is a global issue, @StateHouseKenya [the official residence of Uhuru Kenyatta, the President of Kenya] should declare now. 1. Declare #Femicide a national emergency. 2. @DCI_Kenya [the Directorate of Criminal Investigations] to give an update and accountability on the progression all femicide cases in Kenya.”

Further reading: PBI-Kenya shocked by killing of land rights activist Elizabeth Ibrahim Ekaru, calls on government to protect WHRDs (January 6, 2022)