PC's defence of rape raises storm
By SAMMY CHEBOI
Posted Tuesday, June 2 2009 at 20:02

 Kenya rights groups on Tuesday reacted angrily to remarks attributed to Nyanza provincial commissioner that seem to justify rape of women by policemen.

Led by executive director of the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness, Ms Anne Njogu, the activists called for the resignation of PC Paul Olando for allegedly defending rapists in the police. He is said to have made the remarks during his Madaraka Day address in Kisumu.

Mr Olando was on Tuesday quoted in a section of the press arguing that male police officers stayed away from their spouses for long and were, therefore, likely to rape. He also appeared to say the rape of one woman by a policeman is better than leaving residents at the mercy of criminal gangs.

The women activists accused him of irresponsibly fuelling gender-based violence in the country. "The remarks were outrageous and amounted to justifying the violation of women's rights. The least the PC could do is to apologise and resign from his post," said Ms Njogu.

The women, who spoke ahead of a three-day gender festival that starts on Wednesday at the Railways Club, Nairobi, feared that the veiled defence of police rapists amounted to an official expression of unwillingness to end gender-based violence.

Gender festival

The Kenya Gender Festival will see women groups and civil society organisations reflect, share experiences, build capacity and plan collectively towards gender empowerment.

Federation of Women Lawyers executive director Patricia Nyaundi said the festival would provide an opportunity to highlight gender issues, especially those brought out during the poll chaos.

Source: Daily Nation, Kenya