Janet Mbugua Organizes ‘Dark Valentine’ Vigil Against Femicide Tomorrow at UON Main Campus
Written by moradio on 13 February 2024
NAIROBI, Kenya, February 13- Janet Mbugua has declared an evening vigil named ‘Dark Valentine’ in remembrance of women brutally murdered in cases of femicide.
The vigil is scheduled to take place at the main campus of the University of Nairobi (UoN) on Wednesday, February 14, from 4 pm to 7 pm.
“While it’s Valentine’s Day week, a somber atmosphere prevails. Instead of celebrating love with many, we are mourning their loss,” stated Mbugua.
The prominent journalist also emphasized that the vigil aims to exert pressure on Parliament and County Assemblies to fulfill a list of demands outlined in a petition addressing femicide.
This petition includes several measures, such as urging the President to declare Violence Against Women (VAW) and femicide as a national crisis, and endorsing an Executive Order committing to a zero-tolerance policy towards VAW and femicide. It calls upon high-ranking officials, including the President, Cabinet Secretaries, Members of Parliament, Speakers of both the Senate and National Assembly, Governors, Senators, the Chief Justice, all magistrates, and judges, to publicly denounce VAW and femicide, among other actions.
Mbugua also appealed to well-wishers to support the vigil by donating items such as candles, water, flowers, and handkerchiefs.
This announcement follows a series of femicide cases reported in January, including those of university student Rita Waeni and socialite Starlet Wahu.
Women’s advocacy groups like Usikimye and Feminists in Kenya organized a significant peaceful march last month to condemn femicide. These groups also utilized social media platforms to mobilize support and draw attention to the urgent need for collective action.
