Rising abuse of women, children emerges as biggest security threat

Sexual violence concept. [Courtesy/GettyImages] Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) has emerged as one of the most alarming cross-county security threats in the country, according to the Jukwaa la Usalama Report unveiled on Tuesday by President William Ruto. The report, compiled after months of nationwide tour by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration from April to October 2025, captures the country's prevailing security concerns, service delivery gaps and welfare challenges facing field officers. It lists the most pressing concerns raised by communities across the 47 counties. These include banditry, intercommunal land conflicts, illicit alcohol and drug abuse, organised criminal gangs, terrorism, boundary disputes, human-wildlife conflicts and cattle rustling. But above all, SGBV stood out as a dominant concern, cutting across the Rift Valley, Western, Nyanza, Coast and Central regions. "The pervasive challenge of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence demands renewed security strategies and a whole-of-society approach," the report noted. According to the report, under-reporting remains widespread due to stigma, fear of reprisal, cultural interference, and reliance on non-judicial dispute mechanisms. Communities from nearly every county described SGBV as a threat undermining family structure, disrupting education, and perpetuating cycles of poverty and trauma. According to the report, counties such as Kisii, Nyamira, Narok, Vihiga, Kajiado, Bomet, Kilifi, and Taita Taveta have recorded particularly high incidences. Between June and August 2025 alone, Bungoma recorded 48 SGBV cases, illustrating how pervasive the problem has become. Forms of violence vary widely from defilement, rape, physical assault and domestic violence to harmful traditional practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriages. Local leaders told the forums that defilement remains the most prevalent form of SGBV, with cases reported daily in some counties. Safe houses In Kisii, residents raised alarm about increasing cases of child sexual abuse, often hidden by families who prefer amicable settlements. Chiefs reported that many families opt for informal compensation instead of pursuing justice, undermining deterrence and emboldening repeat offenders. On the Coast, defilement and early pregnancies among school-age girls are rising sharply in Kilifi, Kwale and Taita Taveta. Chiefs from Mwatate and Taveta noted that lack of safe houses and weak monitoring structures expose girls to repeat violations. The report also states exploitative practices such as "fish-for-sex" in Nyanza specifically in Mageta, Rigiti and Sori where women and teenage girls are coerced into transactional sex to access fish in local beaches. In pastoralist communities such as Kajiado, early and forced marriages remain widespread. Chiefs attributed this to deep-seated cultural norms and poverty, calling for targeted engagement with elders to protect vulnerable girls. The situation in North Eastern is even more complex. According to the report, many SGBV cases are perpetrated by individuals in positions of authority including teachers, administrators, and other influential community members. Women participants complained about the use of maslaha, a traditional dispute resolution mechanism that bypasses the justice system. Counties such as Kisumu, Kiambu, Machakos, and Makueni are reporting rising cases of domestic violence, driven by economic stress, alcoholism, infidelity, and high living costs. The Jukwaa la Usalama findings reveal significant weaknesses in the country's capacity to respond effectively to SGBV cases. Among the challenges highlighted are lack of forensic capacity and delays in Government Chemist results, insufficient gender desks and shortage of trained female officers in rural police stations and inadequate psychosocial support and lack of safe houses. Others are cultural interference in investigations, including intimidation of witnesses, poor coordination between police, medical facilities, and prosecutors. While SGBV dominated discussions, communities also expressed strong concern about other persistent security threats. Organised criminal gangs In the Rift Valley, illicit brews and unregulated entertainment venues is said to be hotspots for sexual exploitation and were cited as contributing to rising SGBV cases. The report also warned of organised criminal gangs in Western Kenya, drug trafficking networks on the Coast and illicit brews in Central Kenya all of which have direct links to insecurity and community vulnerability. Nairobi and parts of the Coast continue to record intense land conflicts, with community members accusing cartels of exploiting legal gaps and political interference. Meanwhile, counties in Eastern Kenya raised concerns about boundary disputes, human-wildlife conflict and recurring cattle rustling, particularly in Isiolo, Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi. One of the most striking revelations in the report is the role of "disco matangas". These are night vigils that often turn into unregulated entertainment gatherings. The forums were told that these events, common in Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kilifi and parts of Western Kenya, have become hotspots for SGBV, teenage pregnancies and drug use. During the launch, President Ruto announced reforms across Kenya's security and administrative structures. Addressing chiefs and assistant chiefs gathered for the launch from across the country, the President said the government would immediately begin implementing the recommendations contained in the report. He directed the overhaul of the Anti-Narcotics Unit in response to rising drug abuse. The President announced that the unit's staffing will be expanded from 160 to 500 officers, with 34 new offices set to be opened across the country. He will also convene a meeting with governors to streamline the licensing of liquor outlets; a move aimed at curbing the proliferation of bars and the sale of illicit alcohol. Each county will also be required to establish at least one rehabilitation centre. As part of efforts to modernise security operations, the President ordered the digitization of human resource management for the police, National Police Reservists (NPRs), and National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs). He said that every chief will receive a tablet within the next six months to ensure real-time reporting and reduce paperwork.

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