Farida Kadzo, a 17-year-old girl from Kilifi County, was killed on June 6 in a case that has sparked outrage and renewed calls for justice and protection for survivors of gender-based violence. Her family is demanding swift and thorough action following the tragic incident, which they say highlights systemic failures to protect vulnerable girls.
Kadzo, who had previously survived sexual violence at the age of 13, was in Form Two and receiving support through the justice system when her life was brutally cut short. The suspect in her killing is a man who had been hired as a palm wine tapper at the family’s homestead six months prior and was reportedly in a relationship with her.
According to family members, Kadzo had just finished preparing supper around 8 p.m. when the man called her aside for a conversation. They spent about an hour talking while the rest of the family ate. Later, Kadzo rejoined them, returned the used utensils to the kitchen, and said she was going to pick her phone from a charging point nearby.
Shortly afterward, the family heard a scream from behind the house. Moments later, Kadzo came running back with a knife lodged in her throat. She collapsed and died shortly after pulling it out.
The suspect was arrested and presented before court, where the police were granted 10 days to complete investigations. An autopsy on Kadzo’s body, currently at the Kilifi County Hospital morgue, is expected to be carried out this week.
Family members described the killing as a double tragedy, not only because of her death but also due to the trauma she had endured previously. Kadzo had left behind a nine-month-old baby.
One of the boys previously convicted of defiling Kadzo was sentenced to two years in prison. The family believes that this light sentence and other lapses in the system contributed to an environment where her life remained in danger.
The incident is a chilling reminder of the growing number of femicide cases in Kenya. Over 150 women have been killed in similar attacks this year alone. Between 2016 and 2023, at least 500 women were murdered by intimate partners, and nearly half of all Kenyan women have reported experiencing gender-based violence in their lifetime.
The family is calling for justice not just for Kadzo but for all women and girls at risk. They say her killing should not be dismissed as a personal or emotional dispute but recognized as part of a wider crisis fueled by poverty, gender inequality, and weak law enforcement. They urge the authorities to take decisive action to protect women and ensure that no other girl suffers the same fate.
