BY SHABAN OMAR
Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani has criticized security agencies for contributing to the rise in gender-based violence in the region.
Achani accused police officers of being reluctant in handling defilement cases, which often resulted in delayed or denied justice.
She said that many defilement cases are poorly handled, allowing perpetrators to go unpunished.
“I have several cases, including one involving a 4-year-old who was defiled, yet the police are taking the victim’s family in circles,” she said.
Achani said that, in many cases, victims fail to receive justice because crucial evidence is lost as they struggle to fight for their rights.
She lamented that the inefficiency of security agencies has forced many people to avoid reporting such incidents altogether, opting instead to settle cases out of court.
Achani said that the trend undermines justice and further emboldens perpetrators.
She said the suspects continue to defile many people, escaping the hands of the law.
Achani expressed concern over the rising cases of defilement and teen pregnancies, despite concerted efforts by the county government and non-governmental organizations to combat the vices.
“As a county and in collaboration with NGOs, we have done a lot to curb these cases, but the police are failing us. They are not arresting the perpetrators,” she said.
The governor also fired a warning shot to the chiefs and village elders who attempt to solve the defilement cases through kangaroo courts.
Achani condemned the behavior of some chiefs, stating that their actions are unacceptable and make them as guilty as the perpetrators of defilement.
She said that individuals guilty of defilement must face proper legal action and be held accountable for their crimes in a court of law.
“It is inhumane for someone to rape another person’s daughter, only for the case to be resolved with a few coins and goats,” she said.
Achani called on security agencies and local administrators to fulfill their responsibilities diligently to help combat GBV.
She urged them to take a proactive approach in addressing the issue, ensuring that justice is served and perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.
“It is time for security agencies and administrators to step up and play their part in curbing these injustices,” Achani said.
Lunga-Lunga Deputy County Commissioner Joseph Sawe however denied the allegations adding that the security officers doing their best to address GBVs.
Sawe, however, called for collective responsibility in handling the GBV cases.
“Ending GBV is not a one-person effort; it requires all of us to come together and take action,” she said.
Sawe warned that anyone attempting to resolve defilement cases through traditional methods would face the full force of the law.
He said that the security apparatus would not tolerate injustice and insisted that perpetrators of GBV should be prosecuted and sent to jail.
Sawe said there is no room for leniency when it comes to defilement crimes and other GBV cases.
He stressed that the law must be upheld to the fullest extent and that anyone who violates it must be held accountable.
Sawe, however, urged parents to take care of their children and promptly report any cases of defilement to the relevant authorities without fear, to ensure justice is served.
“Parents must play their role in protecting their children and trust the system to deliver justice,” he said.
