NAIROBI, Kenya – As Kenya joins the rest of the globe in marking the 2025 “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”, Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri has added her voice, calling for an end to the vice.
The campaign, which kicked off on November 25, is expected to end on December 10, 2025, with the global theme “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls”.
The “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls” campaign is focused on the growing issue of digital violence and advocates for action from governments, tech companies, donors, and individuals to end it.
According to Senator Essy Okenyuri, ending digital violence against women and girls requires all of us.
“When you look at it, the society is largely biased against the female gender because we are largely a conservative community that is Kenya to begin with. So, ending gender-based violence is not just about one gender, the female or male only. We need concerted efforts towards addressing this vice,” says Senator Okenyuri.
Senator Okenyuri, the vice chairperson of the Senate Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism, observed that the impacts of digital violence against women and girls are huge.
“They even stop them from participating in leadership. Sometimes the violence, even in the digital space, can cause distress and sometimes make you feel like you are not the person you thought you were,” she further says.
The youthful lawmaker notes that she feels there is a need to come together to talk about this issue in general.
“Online violence comes in different forms. We have people who do doxing. This is where someone goes online, has a page or an account that is insulting someone, and gets real details or documentation which belongs to another individual and shares them online,” Senator Okenyuri
says.
Courtesy of personal information being online, the Senator says it can be used in any way, which is a threat to the owner of those details.
“And remember, the online platform doesn’t belong to the person whose details are shared there. We also see another form of online harassment, which is meant to put you in distress and make you feel or even doubt your capabilities,” she laments.
Senator Okenyuri, the founder of the Essy Okenyuri Nyaituga Foundation, which is largely involved in community development in different ways, also reveals that there are people who are using abusive or hateful content, who are using derogatory words against individuals who are either known to them or who are not known to them.
“They just feel they need to do it. We also have digital blackmail. This is where someone intends to share information which is personal and wants to use that to blackmail someone for their own selfish interests. So, you become a slave, succumbing to a possible ceasefire, but sometimes, when you negotiate for a ceasefire, they will still go ahead and post your details,” explains Senator Okenyuri.
The specially elected Senator reiterates that in addressing these issues, there is a need to know how women and girls are building their digital brand.
“You need to build your brand around consistency and show what you are doing as a leader so that people will slowly identify with your brand. If, for instance, people are used to reading inspirational messages from your social media handles, they will definitely look at you from that perspective. If people are used to seeing you sharing comical content, that is how they will treat you, because the image you present to people is how people will know you,” she further explains.
For young female leaders, Senator Okenyuri, who doubles as a member of the Finance and Budget, Powers and Privileges Committee, insists that they need to build credibility in their brands so that someone can easily identify with our messaging.
“Even if someone wants to do misinformation or share information which does not originate from you, people will be quick to dispel such content because they already know what you stand for, who you are and what you are capable of saying,” says the senator.
The Senator nominated by the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is now urging young women not just in politics but also those in the entertainment spaces and those who engage in online empowerment programs like agriculture, among others, to show people content which is positive.
“By doing so, people will be visiting your social media handles just to be inspired by whatever you are sharing online and learn from you. Just find a way of being different because at the moment, everyone has a gadget which makes it easier to access social media platforms. The difference is, what kind of content are you churning out there? This way, it will separate you from the rest,” she adds
Personally, Senator Okenyuri says she has been privileged to be on many platforms courtesy of her social media handles.
“So, I am not just saying this because of the 16 days of activism, but because it has worked for me, and I feel it is my responsibility as a young leader to encourage young women out there that you can actually share good, positive, and quality content online which enhances your brand and which helps thousands of people out there who are following you,” says the senator.
And just a cautionary note to people who feel pressured due to the filtered content, Senator Okenyuri notes that young women need to accept the way they are.
“Let nobody bully you to feel like you are dark-skinned or you are big-sized. You are beautiful just the way you are. God had a reason why He created us in the manner in which we are,” Senator Okenyuri adds.
She reiterates that there is also a need to socialise the vice so that people don’t look at the angle of putting laws.
“People will look at it like we need to have a culture shift so that we are people who are growing to encourage positive content that enhances your brand. Once your brand is out there, opportunities will always knock on your doorstep,” concludes the youthful senator who is passionate about women and girls.
Discussion about this post