Kisumu records highest SGBV rates as Murkomen cites harmful traditions

By Newsflash Repoter

Kisumu County has recorded a higher prevalence of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) compared to the national average, according to government data. The Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that while Kenya’s national average of SGBV stands at 32%, Kisumu County records 36%, marking it as one of the regions most affected by the vice.

Speaking on Thursday, September 18, during the 42nd edition of Jukwaa la Usalama Mtaani, Murkomen noted that the high numbers remain a cause for concern and require urgent multi-sectoral action.

Harmful practices blamed for high cases

The CS attributed Kisumu’s alarming SGBV rates to harmful cultural practices including disco matanga (funeral discos), wife inheritance, and the breakdown of family structures. He described these practices as “repugnant” and key drivers of violence against women and children.

Murkomen urged community leaders, non-governmental organizations, and religious institutions to intensify sensitization campaigns through public barazas, and to support law enforcement in apprehending perpetrators. Chiefs and assistant chiefs were also asked to take a more active role in mobilizing communities against these practices.

Government steps to curb the menace

Murkomen further directed the National Police Service to take stern action against SGBV offenders and emphasized the need for counties to invest in rescue centers. He said such facilities would provide survivors with safety, legal support, and counseling services.

“This issue is widespread in many parts of the country, and we must look at it with greater focus. Kisumu County urgently needs rescue centers to handle the rising cases,” he said.

The CS also assured that the government is committed to ensuring that perpetrators are prosecuted, and survivors receive adequate support.

Recent violent cases deepen concern

Murkomen’s remarks came in the wake of shocking incidents in Migori and Kisumu counties. In Migori, a minor was brutally defiled, murdered, and had her private parts burnt with acid—a case that has sparked national outrage as police hunt for the suspects.

In another incident in Koru, Muhoroni Sub-county, a Form Three student was fatally stabbed by a schoolmate, reportedly over a love triangle. The suspect fled the scene and remains at large.

These back-to-back tragedies underscore the urgency of addressing both cultural practices and wider societal issues contributing to gender-based violence in western Kenya.