By Boniface Mulu
Kitui County, Kenya: Kitui County on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, joined the rest of Kenya and the world in commemorating the world’s 16 days (Monday, November 25 to Tuesday, December 10, 2024) of activism against gender-based violence.
Unite to end violence against women and girls, men and boys was the event’s theme. The occasion took place at the Kiukuni Primary School within the Kitui West District in Kitui County. The Kitui County Gender, Youth, Sports, Culture, and Social Services Minister Phoebe Ndunyu Mutemi was the event’s chief guest. The colorful function was attended by hundreds of people.
The event was organized by the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action in partnership with the Adventist Relief Development Agency (ADRA), Dear Empowering Kenya (DEK), Anglican Development Services Eastern (ADSE), Kitui County government, Kitui County Commissioners Office, Director of Public Prosecution Office, Hand in Hand East Africa, Groots Kenya, Kitui West Gender Sector Working Group and Muthale Mission Hospital among others.
“Every day we talk against gender-based violence,” the chief guest Phoebe Ndunyu Mutemi said in her speech. “The gender-based violence issues are too high, not only in Kitui or Kenya but across the whole world,” the minister regretted. “Let us work together towards fighting the gender-based violence,” Mutemi added. We are told that the good and the bad things begin at home, she also said as she talked about gender-based violence. “We are gathering here today to fight the gender-based violence,” the minister said. We are told there is no excuse for the gender-based violence, she added.
Mutemi spoke out about the upbringing of the children by the parents. “Let us talk to our children. Let us tell them the truth. Let us not be afraid of them,” the minister told the parents. “The children are getting spoiled because it is being said there is advancement and technology,” the minister added. She disclosed that the Kitui County government is constructing a gender-based violence rescue center in the county for the good of gender-based violence victims. “We are continuing to construct a GBV rescue center in the county and what is being done now is the finishing work for the center,” Mutemi said. On her part, the Gender and Affirmative Action Kitui County Director, Luciana Ndila, highly appreciated their development partners.
“Apart from the national government, we have our partners. And we have to give them some special recognition. They are the ones who have played the greatest role in this today’s event,” the officer said. Ndila talked about gender-based violence saying: “The first thing to do is the prevention of the violence through some advocacy for it (the violence) not to take place.” The Kitui Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister Fredrick Kimanga also addressed the occasion where he highly appreciated the event’s organizers.
“Our development and leadership are very important,” Kimanga said. The minister highly lauded the Kitui County Governor Julius Makau Malombe’s leadership. And he asked the locals to support his government. The Kitui West Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Chairman Wilfred Nzangi Keli also addressed the function. He was representing the area Member of Parliament Edith Vethi Nyenze at the occasion. The Kitui West District Commissioner Elizabeth Atemi also addressed the event where she was representing the Kitui County Commissioner Kipchumba Ruto at the function. The area (Mutonguni Assembly Ward) Member Benjamin Mulandi also addressed the occasion among others.
