Drugs and substance abuse linked to spike in GBV cases, Gender CS Cheptumo says
Gender, Culture and Children Services Cabinet Secretary Hanna Cheptumo has attributed rising cases of gender related killings to substance abuse and consumption of illicit brews.
The CS also cautioned women against staying in toxic relationships as statistics show that gender violence deaths are on the rise countrywide.
The CS who spoke during the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization’s (MYWO) 74th annual general meeting held in Murang’a said recently released statistics on Gender Based Violence (GBV) were alarming.
She said Murang’a was among the leading counties where 53.7 percent of GBV cases were reported with 15 women killed in the county in 2023 alone.
The CS blamed most of the violence and killings on consumption of lethal alcohol drinks and illegal drugs, noting that this led to President William Ruto ordering a countrywide crackdown on the brews.
“Pombe haramu na utumiaji wa mihadarati imesababisha visa vingi veya dhuluma na hata mauaji ya wanawake kulingana na ripoti (illicit alcohol and drugs contribute to many cases of gender related violence against women and even killings according to a recent report)”, said Cheptumo.
The CS regretted that many women continued stay in toxic relationships even when they receive threats and other red flags, only to end up being killed by their spouses.
She asked women to use government security and administrative arms, including police and chiefs to report these cases before matters get out of hand.
On her part, the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake National Chairperson Rahab Muiu condemned rising cases of teenage marriages and pregnancies which deny young girls opportunities to further their education.
She pledged that her organisation will work with the national government to eradicate the menace and ensure girls get equal rights.
“At this day and age, we cannot allow a situation where girls aged thirteen years or less get impregnated or married and drop out of school. MYWO will network with all government agencies to eradicate this social ill,” said Muiu.
State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe said the government has already laid out plans to help women establish businesses.
