Dispersing anti-femicide protest suggests that State backs GBV

Police teargas anti-femicide protesters in Nairobi. [File, Standard]

The State's claim to exclusive legitimacy over violence is often justified on the grounds of maintaining order and protecting citizens. In Weberian terms, the State's monopoly on violence is foundational to its sovereignty, allowing it to enforce laws and safeguard the social contract. Proponents of this view argue that the centralisation of violence within State institutions prevents chaos and ensures that force is applied within legal and ethical parameters.

In Kenya, where gender-based violence (GBV) remains endemic, the State's responsibility to protect women from harm is enshrined in both constitutional and international commitments. These constitutionally mandated, inalienable rights, as well as the ongoing scourge of murder of women, were the reason behind women and their allies taking to the streets last week to protest femicide and GBV.