By Brian Gitonga
Meru deputy governor nominee Linda Gakii Kiome has vowed to make Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention a central focus of her leadership.
She said she will make it a priority not just for women, but also for male victims who often suffer in silence.
Ms Kiome made the bold statement today during her vetting session at the Meru County Assembly, following her appointment by Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia after the impeachment of former Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
Her vetting followed a High Court ruling ordering the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to gazette a returning officer for Meru County for the purpose of clearing Ms Kiome for the deputy governor’s position.
Meru Faces Alarming Gender-Based Violence Problem
A recent study by the county government of Meru indicates high rates of GBV, with hitting/battering scoring 88 percent and killings of GBV victims at 34.9 percent, placing Meru among the counties with the highest cases in the country.
Addressing the issue of GBV in Meru, the nominee stressed the importance of raising awareness and educating the community on how to recognize and resist gender based violence.
“It is unfortunate that even as we progress as a society, we find women are disadvantaged in one way or the other. I would tend to think that sensitization on gender based violence would be the best approach. Let us sensitize our men, our women, our youth on how to identify and resist gender based violence,” she said.
Ms. Kiome further highlighted a lesser discussed reality: that men also suffer abuse, often silently due to societal pressures.
“And also remember that even women themselves engage in gender based violence against men. The most unfortunate thing is that this being a patriarchal society. Men always want to feel that they are the stronger gender and so when they undergo gender based violence, they do not want to speak about it,” she told the vetting panel.
To address this, she proposed practical solutions to provide support and safe spaces for all victims of GBV, regardless of gender.
“I would want to create a safe space especially for men so that they can be able to know that there is somewhere they can report and they will be attended to whether using a physical permanent facility or using wellness clinics and camps in various places,” she explained.
Women Education and Inclusion Also a Priority
Ms Kiome also underscored her commitment to empowering women through education and meaningful inclusion in leadership and decision-making processes.
“I will be so intentional in promoting women education. For transformative leadership in the county, I would also be intentional on engaging women on several fronts especially in decision making and stakeholder engagement. Where issues touching women are concerned, I would think that they would be the best people to make decisions that would be affecting them,” she said.
She emphasized that women should not only be recipients of policies but also active participants in shaping solutions that impact their lives.
“I would also want to wish that in that front we create rehabilitation centres and safe spaces for women who have been violated in one way or the other,” she added.
A Historic First in the Making
Should the County Assembly approve her nomination, Ms. Kiome will become the first female Deputy Governor in Meru’s history.
Her vetting has sparked widespread public attention, especially over her progressive stance on gender equity and inclusive governance.
Her proposed policies and especially those around recognizing male victims of abuse have been hailed by some leaders and civil society groups as a rare but much needed shift in how counties address gender related issues.
