In the recent past, there has been a series of mysterious attacks on pastoralist women in Kargi area, Marsabit County.

The latest victim is Margaret Aleya Eisimonte, a resident of Rongumo clan, who tragically died on February 18, 2024.

According to Defenders Coalition, Eisimonte died after receiving a serious beating allegedly by a group of Morans as instructed by elders from the Rendille Community.

It is alleged that a traditional medicine man (Mganga) was invited to the Rongumo clan to identify witches in the Manyattas, who in turn gave a list of women accusing them of diabolic practices.

Unfortunately, the pronouncement by the mganga led to the brutal assault against Esimonte by the morans.

Woman succumbs to injuries

Members of a nearby clan who learnt about the incident are then said to have responded by rushing her to a local hospital where she succumbed.

She was buried on February 20 in Kargi Public Cemetery.

In a similar fashion, Wareheya Sahado is now recuperating after receiving a barbaric beating on Sunday, February, 18, with the same morans now targeting her private parts.

Although Sahado has since being discharged from hospital, she has to make several trips to the hospital for specialised care.

The area chief Mohamed Arbelle told Radio Jangwani that police are looking for all the perpetrators who attacked the woman.

How many women on mganga’s list?

This dangerous trend has got human rights defenders worried. Margaret Super, a woman human rights defender from Marsabit, has expressed the fear that more women are likely to be attacked and killed.

“We are shocked by this occurrence. This is murder and the murderers are walking free, and this is unacceptable. We do not know the number of women on that list by the Mganga and we fear that more women will be targeted for assault and murder just like Aleya,” the founder of Pastoralists People’s Initiative (PPI) says.

Margaret adds that this incidences are strange and call for the attention of all relevant agencies in Marsabit to bring the perpetrators to book.

Jane Meriwas, the Executive Director, Samburu Women Trust (SWT) has described the incident as one of the many that remains unreported and the perpetrators walk scot free.

“We are concerned that this is a purely femicide issue because it is only women that are accused and targeted for alleged witchcraft. We are worried that if not stopped, the moran will come for the woman who survived the attack or even go for other women! We are not safe here!” Expressed Meriwas.

Kamau Ngugi, the Executive Director Defenders Coalition, is concerned on the rise of women murders in the country. Over 20 cases of femicide were recorded in 2024.

“This unfortunate incident highlights the pervasive nature of violence against women. The death of Aleya is an example of the price that women in poor rural settings pay for just being women. It must be condemned.”

Human rights bodies’ demands

In a joint statement with the PPI and SWT, The Defenders Coalition has strongly condemned these acts of untold violence against poor rural women in MarsabiT.

The human rights bodies’ are now calling on President William Ruto to publicly condemn violence against women in Kenya, pronounce itself to this concerning “national tragedy” and demand accountability from the relevant authorities.

Further, they want the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to thoroughly investigate the matter, arrest all perpetrators and ensure their prosecution.

“The Inspector General of Police to guarantee the safety and security of rural women in Marsabit, specifically those from Rongumo Clan,” the statement reads in part.

They are also calling for the public to abhor such crimes, report such occurrences to the relevant authority for accountability purposes and stand with the victims and survivors.