Chiefs and their assistants have been told to lead the war on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Young Parliamentarians said the administrators play a key role in the fight against the vice.
The MPs who spoke at Kereri Girls in Kisii County during a sensitization meeting decried increasing cases of killings of women, Female Genital Mutilation, and violence against women.
The initiative was organized as part of the activism activities lined up in the ongoing 16 Days of Gender Activism.
The Caucus brought together Chairman Gitonga Mukunji (MP Manyatta Constituency), the host Kisii Woman MP Doris Donya Aburi, Kisii Deputy Governor Elijah Obebo, Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri Nyaituga, and Kisii Central Deputy County Commissioner Wilberforce Kilonzo.
Bobaracho MCA Ibrahim Onkubo attended the function alongside his nominated counterpart Dolphin Bwari. \
More than 400 chiefs and their assistants attended the meeting. Hundreds of girls also attended the meeting.
“There is a need to have everybody on board in the campaign against gender-based violence. We should also work with chiefs to address this problem,” said Mukunji.
Donya said the administrators will be fully involved
in ensuring perpetrators of GBV are reported and action is taken against them.
“Chiefs and their assistants have all the information that we require to deal with the issues of GBV. For instance, if a woman subjects her daughter to FGM, the closest person to bring this issue to the attention of law enforcers and other stakeholders is the chief or the assistant,” said Donya.
On her part, Nyaituga challenged men to take a leading role in the fight against gender-based violence.
“Men should join the campaign against GBV. It’s not a war against men. As young parliamentarians, we must speak with one voice against GBV,” said Nyaituga.
Kisii Deputy Governor Elijah Obebo condemned cases of GBV. “I have witnessed cases of GBV. Any violence against young people, women, and sometimes men should be condemned,” said Obebo.
Further Obebo said corruption by police officers is to blame for the increased cases of GBV.
“When people go to police stations to report cases of GBV, they are asked for bribes which is very wrong,” noted the DG.
He also decried cases of early pregnancies.
"As a county, we are ready to work with the National Government in the fight against these vices. Feel free to involve us when you have such forums,” he added.
Kisii Central Deputy County Commissioner Wilberforce Kilonzo hailed the Woma Representative for organizing the training.
“Femicide is an escalation of GBV. We should deal with GBV, we cannot have cases of femicide,” said Kilonzo.
He told chiefs and assistant chiefs to intensify the war on GBV.
“You are the eyes of the government on the ground. You know all the people in their jurisdiction and you have a responsibility to end cases of GBV,” noted Kilonzo.
