Nairobi News

Kenyan content creator and comedian, Mike Muchiri, took to TikTok to shed light on the alarming rise of femicide in Kenya.

Just a few days into the new year, Muchiri voiced his concern about the harrowing cases of women being brutally killed, emphasising the disturbing trend of victim-blaming and the trivialisation of women’s murders in the country.

“I think it’s high time that we Kenyans acknowledged that there’s actually a femicide problem in Kenya. It’s only been a few days into the year, and there are already horrid cases of women getting killed. There are cases of young girls getting raped and molested, it’s crazy, and the way people talk about these cases on social media, X especially, and I will be specific and talk about men, it’s mostly victim blaming,” said Muchiri.

According to the content creator, social media platforms, especially X, have become breeding grounds for insensitivity and blame-shifting.

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He highlighted how discussions around femicide often devolve into victim-blaming, with men taking the lead in perpetuating harmful narratives.

Muchiri expressed his dismay at a man’s assertion that activism couldn’t stop femicide, insisting that the onus is on women to prioritise their safety.

“I saw someone on X say, and it was a man, that there’s no amount of activism that can stop femicide. That it’s up to women to put their safety first, and I think it’s crazy. Women are most likely to be killed by those closest to them, and in most instances especially in Kenya, that is the case,” he professed.

One of the comedian’s most controversial takes was his suggestion to abolish the women representative docket in the government.

Muchiri questioned the absence of any substantial response from women representatives regarding the femicide crisis, raising concerns about the lack of attention to this urgent matter at the national level.

“Femicide in Kenya has become prevalent to the point where violence against women is accepted, justified, and tolerated. Why has femicide not been declared a matter of national concern? I am going to have a controversial take here and say I think the women representative docket in the government should be completely abolished. I haven’t seen a single woman representative speak on this issue,” Muchiri declared.

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The comedian did not shy away from addressing the disturbing reactions on social media when cases of women being murdered emerge. He lamented how, instead of empathy, there is often mockery and dehumanisation of the victims, with some individuals asserting that the women “deserved” their fate.

“Every time there’s a murder case of a woman involving sex, money, or even a man, I can bet you Kenyans, especially men, and I insist men on social media especially X, will make fun of her even in death, dehumanise her and say she deserved it,” he said.

“Advocating against the murders of women does not invalidate the existence of violence against men,” Muchiri stressed. He expressed frustration at the persistent turning of femicide discussions into a debate about women’s financial independence, highlighting that the problem is much deeper and pervasive. The comedian urged the nation to unite in recognizing the pressing issue of femicide, emphasizing that it affects all strata of society, from wives killed by their husbands to young girls falling victim to their own family members.

“When do we collectively as a country agree that there is actually a problem, and the problem is femicide?” Muchiri questioned.

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