Top police bosses took to the streets on Friday, handing out flowers to Kenyans in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
In Nairobi, Deputy Inspectors General Eliud Lagat (Kenya Police Service) and Gilbert Masengeli (Administration Police Service) led the initiative.
They made random stops across the capital to hand out roses and appreciate members of the public.
The officers aimed to show Kenyans that they care about their well-being as they go about their daily routines, while also reaffirming the police service’s commitment to ensuring public safety.
Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day or the
Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14.
This year’s Valentine’s Day in Nairobi was a stark contrast to last year’s.
In 2024, hundreds of women dressed in black, carrying lit
candles and red roses, held a vigil in honour of the more than 30 women murdered
in Kenya that year.
While people around the world marked the day with flowers and chocolates, Kenyan women were in mourning.
The vigil in Nairobi—featuring impassioned calls to action and musical performances—was organized by the End Femicide Kenya Movement, a coalition of more than 1,000 organizations and individuals.
Similar “Dark Valentine” vigils were held in six other
cities amid rising cases of femicide, which have drawn national attention.
The movement aims to pressure the government to take decisive action, including declaring femicide and violence against women a national emergency and establishing a commission to combat both.
The vigils followed nationwide marches in January, where 20,000 Kenyans demanded government intervention to prevent and prosecute cases of sexual and gender-based violence and femicide, which activists say are often neglected.
Advocates continue to raise awareness and push for
legislative reforms, citing challenges in navigating the criminal justice
system.
Many have argued that Valentine’s Day in Nairobi doesn’t
have to be expensive to be memorable.
They have proposed some ideas to create a day filled with
love, laughter, and connection.
