GEOFFREY MBUTHIA ENTERTAINMENT SUB-EDITOR

27 January 2024

• “The judiciary should on their part handle the cases expeditiously and lock up the criminals,” Passaris had emphasised earlier on.

Bodyguards assigned to Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris swiftly escorted her to safety as activists protesting the increasing femicide cases heckled her.

The unruly group criticized the MP, accusing her of maintaining silence in the face of rising cases of women being murdered across the country.

"Where were you? Go home! Where were you!" The activists voiced their protests against the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MP when she tried to address them at Jevanjee Gardens.

Passaris was compelled to descend from a makeshift podium as the crowd prevented her from speaking.

Earlier on the politician and civil society organizations spearheaded a protest march against the rising incidents of femicide.

“The judiciary should on their part handle the cases expeditiously and lock up the criminals,” Passaris emphasised during the march.

She stressed the need to address the root causes of violence, calling for well-funded and trained police to tackle gender-based violence.

Other female Parliamentarians also urged President William Ruto to declare femicide and Gender-Based Violence a national disaster.

The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) called for expedited investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Inspector General of Police into ongoing femicide cases.