MPs failed women by approving Cheptumo's nomination as CS

Hanna Wendot Cheptumo Nominee for Cabinet Secretary, Gender, Culture, The Arts and Heritage during her vetting process before the National Assembly Committee on Appointments at County Hall, Nairobi on April 14, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The appointment of Hanna Wendot Cheptumo as the incoming Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs sparked a great deal of ire in women's spaces in the last week. This followed her comments while being interviewed for the position when she implied that a leading reason behind femicide was young women's greed for money.

Ms Cheptumo sparked outrage for blaming the victims, particularly at a time when femicide is at an all-time high, and when research points that majority of the cases occur at home. Contrary to the idea that Cheptumo and like-minded people are trying to push, femicide, like sexual violence, is perpetrated more by loved ones; husbands and boyfriends, jilted lovers, and male relatives, than complete strangers.