Amidst the scenic hills of Baringo, a silent epidemic is claiming lives, prompting a high-level intervention to halt rising cases of femicide and defilement.

The pristine landscape of Baringo County is hiding a dark secret. Speaking at the commissioning of a new Gender-Based Violence (GBV) recovery centre at Baringo County Referral Hospital in Kabarnet, Cabinet Secretary Hanna Cheptumo did not mince words. The county, she declared, is in the grip of a "shadow pandemic" of violence against women and girls. Her visit comes as local statistics paint a harrowing picture of a community where safety is increasingly a luxury for the female population.

This was not a standard ribbon-cutting ceremony. It was a war council. "These are not just figures," Cheptumo told a hushed audience of local leaders and medical staff. "They represent daughters whose futures were cut short, mothers whose lives were taken, and children robbed of their innocence."

The Grim Statistics

The numbers laid bare by the Presidential Technical Working Group on GBV are chilling. In 2023 alone, Baringo recorded 41 cases of rape and 18 confirmed cases of femicide. Even more disturbing is the prevalence of physical violence, with 37.9% of women aged 15 to 49 reporting abuse. The crisis extends to the classroom, with Baringo Central sub-county reporting 32 teenage pregnancies in a single year—a statistic that Cheptumo linked directly to the collapse of social safeguards.

The "One-Stop" Solution

The newly launched recovery centre represents a shift in strategy. It is designed as a "one-stop shop" for survivors, integrating medical care, forensic analysis, psychosocial counseling, and legal aid under one roof. Previously, survivors were forced to navigate a fragmented system—reporting to the police in one location, seeking treatment in another, and finding legal help in a third—a process that often led to the abandonment of cases.

• Medical: Immediate trauma care and PEP administration.
• Legal: On-site recording of statements and evidence preservation.
• Psychosocial: Long-term counseling for survivors and families.

"We are closing the loop," Cheptumo asserted. "No perpetrator should walk free because the system was too difficult for the victim to navigate."

A Call to Culture

The CS also challenged cultural leaders in the region, urging them to abandon retrograde practices that perpetuate violence. She called for a coordinated fight involving the police, the judiciary, and, crucially, the community elders. "Culture is dynamic," she reminded the gathering. "It should protect life, not endanger it." As Baringo attempts to turn the tide, the eyes of the nation are watching to see if this new infrastructure can finally offer a shield to its most vulnerable.