Press Release

Jan. 24, 2025

NAIROBI, Kenya — The Silencing Women Project, a groundbreaking initiative by Odipo Dev and Africa Uncensored, documenting femicide in Kenya, will release its second report on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. This release builds on the project’s initial findings from its first launch in Jan. 2024 and underscores the worsening state of violence against women in Kenya despite increasing public outcry.

The report, based on an analysis of over 930 female murders (628 cases meet UNODC’s definition of femicide) in Kenya since 2016, draws from court records and media reports to provide fresh insights into patterns of violence against women. It examines case judgments issued between 2016 and 2024, offering a detailed perspective on how these murders occur and the progress of justice in addressing them.

Key Findings from the 2024 Report:

  • Highest Annual Female Murder Cases: A staggering 170 cases were documented in 2024 alone—double the annual average recorded from 2016 to 2023. 
  • Justice Delays Persist: Justice remains slow, with an average case duration of 4.01 years from court filing to verdict in 2024—up from the 3.6-year average between 2016 and 2023.
  • Of the 219 court judgments between 2016 and 2024, 185 suspects were convicted while 34 were acquitted. Convictions increased by 118% in 2024 from the previous year, the highest level since 2018. The average sentence was 20 years until 2023 but increased to 23 years in 2024.
  • The leading killers of women remain largely unchanged over the years: Intimate partners (husbands or boyfriends) at 70% as per 2024 convictions data
  • Methods of murder have become more intimate and brutal, with notable increases in sexual assault (7%) and hacking incidents (6%). The use of easily accessible tools, including household items, highlights the intimate nature of these crimes.
  • Young women bear the greatest risk: Women aged 18–35 remain the most vulnerable, accounting for more than half of all cases.
  • The killers are mostly young men. 66% of the perpetrators presented in court from 2016 to 2024 were between 18 to 35 years old. 
  • Geographical Spread: While Nairobi remains the leading county for femicide, counties like Kisii, Kitui, Meru, and Nyeri are now among the top ten affected areas.

“2024 was the deadliest year on record for Kenyan women, and unfortunately there’s no sign of things slowing down,” says Patricia Andago, the lead researcher on the Silencing Women project. 

“Women need to feel safe anywhere they are. Currently, they face the greatest danger at home,” Says Felix Kiprono, Head of Media at Odipo Dev. 

“Femicide is still a persistent problem and, much more needs to be done, especially to ensure justice for the victims”, says Eric Mugendi, senior editor at Africa Uncensored.

About the project

Odipo Dev and Africa Uncensored firmly believe that accurate and timely data is essential for effectively combating femicide and all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). To this end, we created Silencing Women, a living database that meticulously documents femicide cases from 2016 onwards. We are dedicated to sharing our findings with all relevant stakeholders to facilitate a collective response to this critical issue

Silencing Women database: https://femicide.africauncensored.online/ 

(the updated website will be live on Monday, Jan. 27)

For more information or to schedule interviews with project representatives, please contact:

Patricia – patricia@odipodev.com

Felix – felix@odipodev.com 

Eric Mugendi – mugendi@africauncensored.net 

Let the world know:

Africa Uncensored

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