The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has raised alarm over rising cases of femicide targeting female teachers in Bomet County, calling for urgent interventions to protect women from the vice.
KNUT Branch Women Representative Betty Langat said the trend was worrying, noting that several cases involving the killing of female teachers had been reported in different parts of the country since last year.
"The trend is worrying, hence the need for interventions," Langat said while addressing the press.
She said the nature and impact of the killings were different because the victims were women, and called for amicable solutions to family and relationship disputes rather than resorting to violence.
"The intention and impact differ, given that the victims are women," she said.
Langat warned that society was in danger if such acts continued unchecked, urging individuals and families to seek peaceful ways of resolving their differences. She also expressed concern over children being left without parents following family disputes, saying women needed greater protection from violence.
"It is sad to have innocent orphans as a result of family disputes. Women need protection," Langat said.
Bomet County Woman Representative Linet Chepkorir also raised concerns over gender-based violence, urging parents to guide their children against engaging in romantic relationships while still in school. Chepkorir said parents had a key role to play in protecting children from situations that could expose them to violence and other social challenges.
She further announced plans to spearhead an anti-femicide campaign in the county in collaboration with Gender Cabinet Secretary Anna Cheptumo, saying the campaign would seek to raise awareness on gender-based violence and mobilise communities to take action against the vice.
"GBV must be stamped out of the region," she said, calling for concerted efforts by leaders, parents and the wider community to protect women and girls.
The leaders urged residents to report cases of gender-based violence and seek intervention before disputes escalate into violence and loss of life.
In the past few weeks, cases of femicide have been reported in the Oasis, Kiromwok and Kamureito areas of Bomet County. Church leaders have also warned against the growing trend, urging communities to address disputes peacefully and protect women from gender-based violence.
The reports come amid growing concern over the safety of women and girls in the county, with leaders calling for urgent interventions to prevent further loss of life.
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