The Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has issued an ultimatum to government while threatening to hold protests if their demands are not met.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In a statement on Wednesday, May 20, the women's rights group raised alarm over the rise in Gender-Based Violence cases as they threatened to take to the streets in 40 days.

According to FIDA, the issue of Gender-Based Violence had reached a crisis level, which could no longer be ignored, citing several recent cases which remain either under investigation or unsolved, despite the establishment of a Technical Working Group by President William Ruto earlier in the year.

“We acknowledge the President’s effort to establish the Technical Working Group on GBV, including Femicide, and the subsequent report that was launched on 26/5/2026. However, we are deeply concerned that the President has not acted on the group’s key recommendations," FIDA claimed in the statement.

📌 What You Need to Know

One of the more controversial cases of GBV, cited by FIDA, was one involving Sylvia Kemunto, a first-year student from Multimedia University, who was found dead in a water tank, strangled, with signs of self-defence.

In addition, FIDA reports that there have been many underreported cases, and femicide is not seen as a crime on its own, with most cases being labelled as homicide cases without noting their gendered motive, making it impossible to track them well.

Among the demands by the rights group is that the government declare GBV a national disaster.

Secondly, the group wants the government to provide a status report on the implementation of the recommendations proposed by the president’s Technical Working Group.

Further, FIDA wants President Ruto to establish and operationalise a GBV fund.

“Preventing and responding to GBV and femicide needs steady funding. It is urgent to support this. GBV survivors by setting aside a dedicated national budget for prevention, response, and survivor support and by asking development partners and well-wishers to contribute to the fund,” the statement went on.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke