Dark Valentine’ Vigil in Nairobi Protests Surge in Femicides

Hundreds of individuals clad in black gathered in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, for a vigil titled “Dark Valentine” on Wednesday, in a poignant display of solidarity and protest. 

The solemn event aimed to denounce the alarming rise in femicides across the country.

Femicide, the killing of women because of their gender, has become a pressing issue in Kenya, with reports of more than 16 cases documented by police and local media since the beginning of the year alone.

Merlin Kawira, a student and founder of an on-campus mental health support group called Africa Arts and Mental Talks, expressed deep concern over the escalating femicide rates. 

“We do not condone femicide at all. We are losing so many women, so many girls,” Kawira stated, highlighting the urgent need for action to end this violence.

On what is traditionally a day for celebrating love, students and activists chose to gather and honor the victims of femicide. They lit candles, chanted the names of those who lost their lives, and held red roses as symbols of remembrance and solidarity.

Debora Momanyi, a student and human rights activist, questioned the notion of love in light of such tragedies, asserting, “love is not something that should put you at risk for death.” 

Momanyi emphasized the importance of promoting healthy relationships and rejecting any form of violence against women.

This “Dark Valentine” protest follows a series of similar demonstrations at the end of January, where thousands of people marched in cities and towns across Kenya in what was recorded as the largest anti-femicide demonstration in the country’s history. 

The continued mobilization reflects the growing determination to confront and address the scourge of femicide in Kenya.

Additional source: AfricaNews