NATIONAL GENDER AND EQUALITY COMMISSION ISSUE 5 DEMANDS TO GOVERNMENT AS FEMICIDE CRISIS WORSENS 

National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has laid out a set of demands following the brutal killing of gospel singer Rachel Wandeto and the rising violence against women, girls, and children across Kenya.

In a statement released on 20th May 2026, the Commission expressed growing concern over recent killings reported in Wajir, Isiolo, Nairobi and Tana River counties. The Commission described the situation as “a growing national crisis” requiring urgent action.

NGEC issued five demands aimed at stopping the violence and holding perpetrators and the justice system accountable. The commission demanded prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations into all reported cases of femicide and killings of women and children. The Commission stressed that accountability must extend not only to perpetrators but also to any failures within the justice chain.

Kenya already has legal frameworks in place, including the Sexual Offences Act, the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act, the Victim Protection Act, and the Children Act. The Commission demanded strengthened enforcement of these laws, supported by better coordination among relevant institutions.

The NGEC called for early warning systems, community-based protection structures, and sustained public awareness campaigns on gender-based violence to stop the violence before it starts.

The Commission demanded that survivor-centered services including psychosocial support, legal aid, shelters, and accessible reporting mechanisms be expanded across all counties.

Finally, the NGEC called for reinforced collaboration among national and county governments, security agencies, oversight institutions, civil society, faith-based organizations, and communities to address the root causes and manifestations of violence.

The Commission reiterated that violence against women, girls, and children represents a serious threat to national well-being, social stability, and the realisation of constitutional rights. “We demand consistent institutional action, accountability, and sustained commitment to protecting the dignity and safety of all persons,” the statement read.