Femicide task force launches nationwide GBV hearings
This public engagements will take place from Monday, May 12, to Wednesday, May 28.
The government will launch a nationwide public participation exercise next week to collect input on the Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), established by President William Ruto on January 10, 2025.
This public engagements will take place from Monday, May 12, to Wednesday, May 28, with sessions scheduled to begin at 9 am in each of the 47 counties.
"To uphold the constitutional principle of inclusive consultation and citizen involvement, the Technical Working Group on GBV and Femicide will convene public forums in all 47 counties, starting at 9:00 a.m. as per the schedule provided below," the announcement read.
The exercise will take place across seven counties, with venues designated as follows: in Taita Taveta, it will be held at the CDF Hall in Mwatate; in Garissa, the venue is the Garissa Government Guest House.
Marsabit residents will convene at the Catholic Cathedral Hall, while those in Embu will gather at the Talent Centre in Embu town.
In Samburu, activities are scheduled at the Maralal Vocational Training Centre, and in Kisumu, the location is Mama Grace Onyango Social Hall.
Meanwhile, in Trans Nzoia County, the event will be hosted at the Kitale National Polytechnic.
The process will be carried out in Kirinyaga at the NG-CDF Hall in Kerugoya, in Laikipia at the Rumuruti Catholic Church Parish Hall, and in Narok County at the Narok Youth Empowerment Centre on Tuesday, May 13.
On Wednesday, May 14, the exercise moves to Mombasa’s Tononoka Social Hall, Isiolo’s Catholic Diocese Hall, Kitui Multipurpose Hall, Ol Kalou CDF Hall in Nyandarua, Nyeri Cultural Centre, Mtello Hall in Kapenguria (West Pokot), and the Friends Yearly Resource Centre in Vihiga.
Public participation forums will kick off on Thursday, May 15, 2025, with sessions scheduled in Meru at the Meru Teachers College Hall, in Murang'a at the Mothers Union Hall, in Nakuru at the Kenya Red Cross Hall, and in Bomet at the St. Josephine Bakhita Hall.
The process continues on Friday, May 16, 2025, across several counties.
In Kwale, it will be held at the Kwale Cultural Hall; in Makueni, at the Wote Technical Training Institute; in Nandi, at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium boardroom; in Kericho, at the ACK Conference Centre; in Kakamega, at the Magharibi Hall; and in Nyamira, at the KCB Hall located in Nyamira Town.
On Monday, May 19, 2025, the forums will take place in Tana River at the County Commissioner’s boardroom, in Tharaka Nithi at the Kathuana County Hall, in Machakos at the Kilimanjaro Hall within Machakos University.
In Kiambu, the forum will take place at the County Commissioner’s boardroom, in Uasin Gishu at the County Multipurpose Social Hall in Eldoret, and in Bungoma at the Red Cross Hall in Kanduyi.
The final session is set for Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and will be held in Homa Bay County at the Governor’s Park.
On Wednesday, May 21, public forums will take place in several counties: Turkana at the Lodwar Vocational Training Centre; Elgeyo Marakwet at KMTC Iten; Kajiado at the Kajiado Cultural Centre; Busia at the Agricultural Training Centre; Migori at the Migori TTC Hall; and Kilifi at the Juwapa Hall.
On Thursday, May 22, sessions are set for Wajir County at the Wajir ICT Hall in Wajir town, and Mandera County at the Amara Blue Resort.
Then on Friday, May 23, the forums will be held at the Emergency Operation Command Centre in Baringo, at the Kabarnet Vocational Rehabilitation Centre in Lamu, at the IEBC Hall in Siaya, and at the Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) in Kisii.
Finally, on Wednesday, May 28, Nairobi County will host the process across five venues: Josephethe Hall in Woodley (Kibra), California Resource Centre (Kamukunji), Waithaka Social Hall (Dagoretti), the Youth Empowerment Centre at Embakasi Central Sub-County HQ (Embakasi), and Synagogue of Hope Church Hall (Kasarani).
President William Ruto established a 42-member task force to tackle the rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.
The team has been mandated to evaluate the current legal, policy, and institutional frameworks and to propose enhanced measures to strengthen the national response to GBV