Women raped during chaos demand justice

By Ally Jamah

Women who were raped and infected with HIV by marauding gangs during post-election violence are now demanding justice.

As the country marks the World Aids Day, the women, many from Kibera slums, urged the Government to arrest and prosecute those who sexually assaulted them.

"We can identify some of those who brutalised us, including security officers. We won’t give up until they are taken to court," said Ms Beatrice, one of the victims.

They spoke yesterday at a public meeting in Dagoretti organised by the Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida).

Beatrice, a mother of five, claimed two men in police uniform gang-raped her. "They broke into my house and pulled me from under the bed where I was hiding. They raped me in turns threatening to shoot if I shouted," she told a stunned audience.

Police indicted

She said she reported the matter at Kilimani Police Station but officers kept dismissing her for "trying to soil the name of the police."

Ms Consolata, another victim, in Line Saba, Kibera, said a gang raped her leaving her unconscious for several hours.

"I saw the first three men who raped me before I lost consciousness. I even know where they hang out, but police are not keen on arresting them," she said.

Former Fida Chairperson Joyce Majiwa said the Government should bring the rapists to book.

"If those rapists are allowed to get away, they may not feel any qualms in repeating the same," she added.

At the height of post-election violence, hospitals dealt with a high number of rape cases, some even involving men who were sodomised.

"It looked like it was mainly systematic gang rapes," said Sam Thenya, the chief executive officer of the Nairobi Women Hospital, then.