Vetting Remarks Spark Backlash

Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, the nominee for Kenya’s Gender Cabinet Secretary, has faced significant backlash due to statements made during her Parliamentary Committee vetting session. During the hearing, Cheptumo suggested that the rising number of femicide cases among young women is linked to their economic dependency, implying that their pursuit of financial security exposes them to danger.

Comments on Femicide and Economic Dependency

While addressing the committee, Cheptumo stated, “Femicide is the intentional killing of women and girls; it is brought about by dependency. If girls were able to have economic power, they would not depend on either gender.” She further elaborated that women’s economic initiatives could potentially lower their risk of violence.

However, her claims faced scrutiny when Speaker Moses Wetang’ula pointed out that many victims of femicide, including university students, might not fit the economic dependency narrative. Cheptumo responded, saying, “They are educated but those ones are looking for money. You know a girl has many needs.”

Reactions to Cheptumo’s Statements

The comments prompted strong reactions online. Critics, including Likoni MP Mishi Mboko, accused Cheptumo of victim-blaming. Mboko asserted, “It is not good to say that those girls are looking for money and that is why they are brutally murdered,” highlighting that femicide is far more complex than financial motivations.

Public Response and Perspective

Social media users expressed dismay at Cheptumo’s comments, with reactions ranging from disappointment to anger. Some comments included:

• Lucky Mbaye: “Is femicide really about dependency? In this day and age, where we have more educated women, does that justify murder?”
• M.eilar: “This is actually very heartbreaking.”
• Purple Rain: “If a guy said this, Wednesday Feminists would be at Jee vanjee gardens with black T-shirts.”
• Marin Imanthiu: “She’s right to some extent. Empower both men and women equally, and you’ll have reduced chances of one killing the other.”

Nomination and Background

Nominated by President William Ruto, Cheptumo aims to lead the Gender, Culture, The Arts, and Heritage ministry, which has seen a lack of a substantive leader since Ruto dissolved his Cabinet. Cheptumo, a widow of former Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, who died in February 2025, has a background of 14 years working in the Ministry of Cooperative Development.

If confirmed, she promises to advocate for increased funding for gender initiatives and emphasized the importance of collaboration within the ministry, comparing her potential appointment to a partnership, stating, “Mine is like an issue of marriage; it is me who is getting married there, and the marriage must work.”