Rising cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, child abductions, and killings in Central Kenya have prompted the government to roll out an urgent multi-agency response, with Gender Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo directing immediate action to strengthen protection and security measures across the region.
Speaking during a regional security and child protection meeting in Nyeri County on Thursday, Cheptumo announced the launch of a 90-day Rapid Results Initiative aimed at stepping up efforts to address the growing number of reported cases.
“I have directed that a 90-day Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) be immediately undertaken to intensify interventions against the rising cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the Central Region,” she said.
The CS said the programme will bring together various government departments and local structures to improve prevention, response, investigations, and support for affected families and victims.
Cheptumo noted that the State is seeking to have the Central Region declared free from SGBV within the next 11 months through coordinated enforcement, community awareness, and protection efforts.
According to the CS, agencies handling security and child welfare matters are already working jointly on active cases involving children to ensure investigations and response measures are properly coordinated.
To support the new plan, the government has formed a regional multi-agency coordination team that will also be introduced at county and sub-county levels.
The structure includes security officers, Children Services officials, local administrators, and other stakeholders involved in handling cases linked to violence against women and children.
Cheptumo said the framework is expected to improve cooperation among agencies, strengthen community surveillance, and ensure faster response to reported incidents.
Discussions during the Nyeri meeting also focused on measures being taken to improve child protection systems and strengthen monitoring efforts within communities affected by the rise in cases.
The latest move comes months after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the deployment of more police officers to Taita Taveta County as part of efforts to curb increasing cases of gender-based violence in the area.
Speaking during the opening of Bura Police Station in Mwatate Sub-County on March 26, 2026, Murkomen said the government was increasing security operations to deal with the situation.
“We are deploying additional police officers to the area to bolster security and strengthen the fight against Gender-Based Violence, which is prevalent in the county,” Murkomen said.
Human rights groups have continued to pile pressure on the government to speed up the implementation of recommendations made by the GBV Taskforce, with Amnesty International Kenya previously raising concern over delays.
The World Health Organisation estimates that one in three women in Kenya is at risk of experiencing SGBV, underlining the scale of the problem facing the country.
In recent years, the Judiciary has also introduced specialised SGBV courts aimed at ensuring victims receive trauma-informed support during the hearing of such cases.