Leaders condemn rising GBV cases as Vihiga girl laid to rest

Audio By Vocalize

Various leaders have expressed growing concern over the rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country, urging the government to intensify efforts to combat the vice and protect women and children from abuse.

Speaking during the burial of 14-year-old Grade 9 pupil Dralon Kanaga of Masana Comprehensive School in Vihiga County, leaders condemned the continued dehumanization of girls and women.

They called for an end to harmful beliefs and practices that fuel sexual violence.

Public Service Principal Secretary Jane Imbunya assured the bereaved family that investigations into the girl's death were ongoing and pledged that justice would be served without interference.

“Investigations are ongoing, and I assured the family that justice must be pursued without fear or favour. Let us stand together and end GBV,” she said.

Imbunya vowed that perpetrators of violence against children would be relentlessly pursued, warning that no one involved in the crime would evade justice.

“The government has taken up the investigation, and you will not run or hide where we will not find you,” she said.

She stressed that society cannot use traditions or beliefs to justify present-day wrongdoing and called on Kenyans to uphold human dignity and the sanctity of life.

“This painful incident has shaken our community and serves as a reminder that the safety of our children must remain a national priority. No parent should have to bury a child because of preventable insecurity,” she added.

The PS lamented that many girls continue to lose their futures through acts of sexual violence, while perpetrators often go unpunished.

“She will never grow up to fulfil her dreams and actualise her full potential. We cannot continue to lose girls or any child for that matter as a result of sexual violence,” said Imbunya.

Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba called on the government to strengthen enforcement of safety measures for learners, particularly those travelling long distances to and from school.

He urged the Ministry of Education to review school reporting and closing times to enhance student safety, especially in rural areas.

“Learners should report to school at 7:15 a.m. and be released early enough to enable them to travel safely to and from school,” Milemba said.

The legislator, who also serves as chairman of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, appealed to parents to avoid placing excessive academic pressure on teachers, saying extended learning hours could expose learners to unnecessary risks.

“I will engage the area MP so that together we can pursue this matter at the parliamentary level and ensure that all those involved are brought to justice. Dralon's life mattered, and her family deserves answers, accountability and justice,” he said.

Kanaga’s death has shocked the community and reignited national debate on child safety and gender-based violence.

According to preliminary investigations and postmortem findings, the teenager was allegedly raped and strangled while returning home from school. 

Government pathologist Dickson Muchana, who conducted the autopsy at Vihiga County Funeral Home, confirmed that the learner had been defiled by one person and died from strangulation.

Follow The Standard on