GBV Whistle Blowers Challenged To Be Vigilant During Long Holidays

By Isabella Maua

Village elders, police, the clergy, parents, and media practitioners have been challenged to be more vigilant in creating awareness and following up on gender-based violence cases.

In a closed-door review meeting at Kapsokwony facilitated by Kenya Red Cross Bungoma with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, the whistle-blowers drawn from Kaptama and Elgon wards were lauded for their efforts throughout the year.

“We have seen a great impact of your undeterred effort to sensitise your communities on gender-based violence, and as much as this is commendable, we need to continue seeing your impact through bringing more stakeholders on board,” noted Fred Makokha, Director of Gender under the State Department in Bungoma County.

According to one of the senior chiefs from Elgon ward, there has been a significant impact amongst families, especially when it comes to domestic violence.

“It is very encouraging to see that despite being part of a community known for retrogressive traditions, men are now coming out to report domestic violence cases at our offices,” divulged Chief Chebet.

At least something that was once a taboo is now becoming the new norm in Mt. Elgon; there have been men who have literally died of psychological and physical torture from their wives but took their agony to their graves.

Chemtai, a whistle-blower from Chemoge, revealed that during one of the many sessions with students, she managed to counsel about ten boys who admitted to suffering from sexually transmitted diseases after a long talk session with them through the guiding and counselling department.

“Not only had the boys suffered silently from the infections, but there was also a girl who had been infected with HIV as a result of defilement from a close relative, and I managed to counsel her too and later introduce her to ARVs.”

Despite a commendable reduction of gender-based violence cases in the recent past, whistle-blowers in Cheptais decried the resurgence of child labour during this long holiday after schools have closed.

“It is a heart-breaking sight when you see little school-going girls carrying firewood on their heads and sugarcane from Uganda to the market late into the night; it is during this period that many motorcycle riders take advantage of them and defile them,” cited one of the whistle-blowers from Khakanga, one of the remote areas along the Uganda-Kenya border.

The situation was not much different from that of Kopsiro since the whistle-blowers from Kapkateny and Chepyuk highlighted the high poverty index and literacy levels as key indicators in GBV cases.

“Backward culture in our partriachial society has led to many cases of female genital mutilation and forced, arranged early marriages. Until we ensure criminals are apprehended and serve rightful jail terms, we have a long way to go,” said Kopsiro’s Deputy County Commissioner, Langa Kadilo.

Conclusively, Janet Khisa, the county GBV Programme officer, acknowledged progress through the touching testimonies from the whistleblowers and village elders, challenging them to be more vigilant during the long school holidays.