Nairobi – Rangwe Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Alfet Jillo has strongly warned local chiefs and village elders against settling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases through informal mechanisms. Jillo emphasized that SGBV, including defilement, are criminal acts and perpetrators should be brought to justice rather than being allowed to resolve matters outside the court system.
According to Kenya News Agency, there has been a concerted effort to sensitize chiefs and village elders about the gravity of these crimes. She warned that any authority figure found impeding justice for victims would face severe consequences, including potential job loss. Jillo underlined the importance of speaking out against such acts of criminality as a means to eradicate them from the community, which would also contribute to reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS.
Jillo, speaking at the World AIDS Day event in Ndhiiru, stressed that bypassing formal justice in SGBV cases not only denies victims their rights but also perpetuates the frequency of such offenses. She highlighted the harm caused by local kangaroo courts that allow perpetrators to compensate the victim’s family, which overlooks the long-term impact on survivors.
Roselyne Omollo, Homa Bay County’s Executive Committee member for health and the guest of honor at the event, echoed these sentiments. She outlined the county’s commitment to community-led initiatives tackling the interconnected challenges of HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and Gender-Based Violence. Omollo emphasized a preventive rather than curative approach in combating HIV infection. This strategy includes supporting Community Health Promoters by ensuring timely compensation for their work.
Omollo called on the community to unite and actively engage in the fight against these triple threats, underlining the importance of collaboration in addressing these critical issues.