Residents hold candlelit vigil for slain student

Women in Nyeri County have launched a campaign on social media in honour of Ivy Wangechi, who was slain last week, to highlight the recent spate of violence against women.

The women, led by Waruguru Kiai and Wanjru Mugo, held a candlelit vigil in Nyeri town ahead of Wangechi’s burial in Othaya Constituency today.

Wangechi was a Sixth Year Moi University’s School of Medicine student. She was hacked to death by her alleged childhood friend after she rejected his advances.

Ms Kiai said the vigil was to remind the country that many women were dying, yet there was no justification for femicide.

“As a country, there seems to be an attempt to justify death of young women, which is unacceptable. These are human beings and there is no reason anyone should take a life,” she said.

She said there was an attempt to normalise death of women by coming up with excuses as to why they deserved to die yet every life was precious.

The vigil took place between 7pm and 10pm yesterday at the Nyeri Central Business District.

Human being

"Wangechi was a human being and nobody deserves what happened to her,” said Kiai.

And women leaders also expressed concerns over increasing cases of femicide countrywide.

County MPs Rahab Mukami (Nyeri), Sabina Chege (Murang'a), Faith Gitau (Nyandarua), Joyce Korir (Bomet) and Maragua MP Mary Njoroge called on parents and elders to advise youth to avoid relationships that  might lead to death.

Speaking in Nyeri town at Nyamachaki PCEA Church, Ms Chege noted that there was an attempt to intimidate young women by justifying their murders when relationships turned sour.

Slay queen

“It is painful and sad to imagine that a young woman can be murdered in broad daylight by a young man and the first thing that some Kenyans do is label her names such as "slay queen" and attempt to justify it,” she said.

Wangechi will be buried in Mahiga, Othaya Constituency, today.