Thousands of Kenyans marched through central Nairobi on Monday, demanding the government declare a national crisis over rising cases of femicide and the disappearance and killing of children. The demonstration, one of the largest against gender-based violence the Kenyan capital has seen in months, brought traffic to a standstill in parts of the city's central business district. Organised by the End Femicide movement alongside women's rights, human rights, and child protection groups, the march was composed mostly of women who carried placards reading "Stop Killing Women," "Enough is Enough," and "End Pedicide." Participants dressed in white bore red roses and gathered around symbolic coffins covered in flower petals, while a large wall at the centre of the protest listed the names of victims beneath the message "Stop Femicide in Kenya."

A catalyst for the march was the brutal killing of gospel singer Rachel Wandeto, who was doused with petrol and set on fire by three men as she walked home in Nairobi on 16 May. She suffered burns to more than 85 percent of her body and died two days later at Kenyatta National Hospital. Her case drew widespread public outrage and helped mobilise support for Monday's demonstration. Former Chief Justice David Maraga joined the march, lending institutional weight to calls for stronger government action.

The scale of the crisis is reflected in official data. The Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya reports receiving approximately 70 gender-based violence cases every week across its offices in Nairobi, the port city of Mombasa, and the lakeside city of Kisumu. More than 10,500 child protection cases were recorded between January 2025 and March 2026, including nearly 1,952 abductions and 6,820 cases of abandonment, with close to 2,328 children still unaccounted for. Police have noted that most gender-based violence cases are linked to domestic disputes, intimate partner violence, sexual offences, and unresolved family conflicts.

Advocacy groups issued a 40-day ultimatum to the government on 21 May, demanding a formal declaration of a national crisis or threatening to escalate to nationwide protests. In response to mounting pressure, authorities announced the formation of a dedicated investigative unit bringing together criminal intelligence analysts, forensic experts, and homicide investigators. Protesters, however, have accused the government of failing to investigate cases adequately and are calling for faster prosecutions, harsher penalties, and greater support for affected families.

The protests reflect deepening frustration with what activists describe as systemic failures to protect women and children in Kenya. The 40-day deadline places the government under significant public pressure to move beyond the formation of investigative units and deliver concrete, measurable results — or risk a broader national mobilisation.