The Young Communist League of Kenya strongly condemns the escalating violence against women and girls. The recent surge in brutal femicide and gender-based violence is intolerable. We denounce the alarming trend of violence against women perpetrated by well-connected criminal gangs, stripping women of their dignity and humanity, exemplified by the case of Scarlet Wahu.
Statistics reveal that even young girls as little as two years old and our elders are not exempt from various forms of inhumane violence. This reflects a nation in critical condition, demanding immediate and systematic attention. We express solidarity with the women and girls of Kenya.
The roots of this violence are deeply embedded. Under patriarchy, men are socialized to regard women as property and objects of control. Toxic masculinity perpetuates the dangerous myth that violence is acceptable for dominating women. Violence against women is not a new phenomenon; rather, it is becoming increasingly visible and challenging to deny using historical rhetoric that has whitewashed it.
Despite rhetoric praising purity, womanhood duty, and women's resilience, violence persists across all socio-economic facets of society. Successive administrations have tolerated this violence, evident in economic exploitation abroad and domestic abuse. Intelligence and police departments often do little or nothing, if not collaborating with criminal individuals and cartels.
Compounding the issue, the East African region witnesses similar dynamics, with the Ugandan parliament dismissing marital rape concerns in their marriage bill.
As the economic climate worsens, implicit support for violence has turned explicit. The response justifying violence in the name of punishment and regulation is unacceptable. We urge the state to address this matter urgently, emphasizing that women are full and equal members of society, and violence will not be tolerated.
The party calls on the state to employ mechanisms within its capacity to correct this issue, including economically empowering women and affirming their agency in the socio-cultural space. The struggle for women's safety and dignity is intertwined with the larger fight for a just society free from exploitation.
The Young Communist League reiterates solidarity with all progressive forces combatting gender-based violence. We encourage building a broad-based movement to protect and expand women's rights in Kenya. Urgent action is needed to support survivors, accompanied by a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated.
Perpetrators must be swiftly brought to justice. We call on all men and boys to unlearn misogyny and sexist attitudes, standing up against abusive behavior. Silence is complicity. The goal is to foster a culture of consent and equality. Substantive policy changes are demanded to improve women's economic and social standing in Kenya, ensuring access to education and jobs.
The Young Communist League of Kenya will not hesitate to engage in the matter if other parties and the current administration choose to ignore it. We stand united with fellow comrades to condemn femicide and violence against women. We urge Kenyans to reject narratives downplaying or justifying these incidents, as such narratives silence a persistently malignant issue. We call on the state to take action and stand in solidarity with civil rights groups advocating for necessary societal, administrative, and institutional reforms to address the root causes of violence.
In conclusion, the YCL underscores the conviction that capitalism is the fundamental cause of femicide. While advocating for progressive and transformative reforms to tackle the alarming rate of femicides, the approach should entail the comprehensive dismantling of capitalism and the prompt establishment of socialist foundations. It is crucial to emphasize that femicides disproportionately impact working women, rather than bourgeois women.
In Unity and Struggle,
The Young Communist League of Kenya.
The Militant Wing of the Communist Party of Kenya ( Majority )