NAROK, Kenya – Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has strongly condemned the forced marriage of a young girl in an incident captured in a now-viral video.
According to the LSK boss, the incident allegedly took place in an undisclosed location within Narok County.
“This recording of a young lady from Narok reportedly being assaulted by her brothers in an attempt to compel her to marry a man she does not love is detestable,” Odhiambo said.
Taking to her official X account (formerly Twitter), the LSK president observed that such a move is not a cultural practice, “it is an act of sexual violence, and such conduct cannot be countenanced.”
According to Odhiambo, the Kenyan constitution guarantees individual autonomy and freedom of choice, and equally frowns upon harmful cultural practices that undermine human rights.
“We call upon the police to promptly identify and arrest the perpetrators of this aggravated act of violence,” Odhiambo further said.
In the 49th minute video, a group of about 4 men can be seen caning the young girl as she wails on the ground.
How the shocking Narok incident happened as captured on camera
The men donning Maasai shukas continue the beating the young girl while an unidentified woman appears to appeal to them to stop it.
At the tail end of the video clip, the men carry away the young girl as the group continue speaking in their local dialect.
In January 2025, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has praised President William Ruto for forming a technical working group to evaluate, examine, and suggest ways to improve the nation’s institutional, legal, and policy response to Femicide and gender-based violence (GBV) within three months.
According to Mudavadi, in the State of Security Statement delivered in December 2024, the state highlighted the alarming rise in Femicide in 2024 and the staggering 7,107 reported cases of sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) between September 2023 and December 2024.
“Under the leadership of Justice Nancy Baraza, the 35-member Working Group has a critical mandate: to uncover trends, identify hotspots, and address root causes of GBV and Femicide,” Mudavadi said in a statement posted on his official X account.
Who are other notable figures serving on the technical working group
Other notable figures include Citizen TV investigative journalist Franklin Wallah, Federation of Women Lawyers—Kenya (FIDA) boss Anne Ireri, and Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo.
Mudavadi, the Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Cabinet Secretary, said the group would evaluate existing legal and policy frameworks, propose enhancements, and advocate for more vigorous enforcement to bridge gaps in protecting vulnerable individuals.
“This working group is set to deliver actionable recommendations on prevention, investigation, prosecution, and survivor support, ensuring a robust institutional, legal, and policy response. Together, we must unite to build a safer, more just society where such acts of violence are no longer a grim reality,” Mudavadi said.
The working group is in response to the rise in GBV and femicide cases in the nation, which President William Ruto claims continue to cause significant physical, psychological, and financial harm to individuals, families, and communities, aggravating inequality and obstructing sustainable development, according to a notice published in the gazette on Friday, January 10, 2025.
In GBV and femicide instances, the notice points out that there are gaps in prevention, response, investigations, prosecution, data management, and survivor support systems. Such flagrant violations stress the country’s social fabric and endanger national security.
Discussion about this post