Esther Passaris responds to hostile reception during anti-femicide protests

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Esther Passaris responds to hostile reception during anti-femicide protests

By Elizabeth Ngigi January 28th, 2024 2 min read

Women's rights activists and residents of Nyeri join in a procession in Nyeri town to protest the widespread femicide cases in the country on January 26, 2024. They called for justice while also raising awareness about the pressing need for societal change. The group emphasized that the trend is not merely a local issue but a widespread concern that demands urgent attention from the government. The group presented a petition to Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu. PHOTO| JOSEPH KANYI

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has addressed the recent hostile reception she faced while joining Kenyan women activists in anti-femicide protests on Saturday, January 27.

Responding to online criticism, Passaris faulted those celebrating the reception she received during the #TotalShutdownKE protests.

A social media user, Tracy Ruo, expressed satisfaction in booing at the politician.

“I really BOOED @EstherPassaris! Best thing I’ve done in a long time. We really need to boo these politicians whenever we see them! WE ARE TIRED OF MEDIOCRITY!” to which Passaris responded, implying that her office funded the protests.

She stated, “You might have worn a t-shirt, carried a placard, and drank water financed by @NGAAF_KE for today’s march.”

Passaris encountered a challenging crowd when attempting to join the protests at Jevanjee Gardens.

Despite delivering a speech addressing femicide concerns, the crowd grew increasingly rowdy, prompting her bodyguards to whisk her away for safety.

Protesters accused Passaris of maintaining silence over recent cases of violence against women and denied her a platform to speak, chanting, “Where were you?” in unison.

In her speech before being interrupted, Passaris had urged President William Ruto to express support in the fight against femicide.

She acknowledged ODM leader Raila Odinga’s condemnation of the violence and insisted that the President should also speak out.

Passaris emphasized the importance of the government taking decisive action to address the alarming trend of femicide.

She called for reassurance to the affected families that the government is working on their behalf and empathizes with their pain.

“I’ve talked to some Cabinet Secretaries and emphasized the need for the President’s voice on this matter. I’m pleased that our party leader, Raila Odinga, addressed it.

We require the President to do the same and recognize that the families affected by these brutal murders are going through immense trauma. They need assurance that the government is working on their behalf and that the President empathizes with their pain,” Esther expressed.