Ruto’s Gender CS Pick Blames Femicide on ‘Greedy Women Chasing Money’ — Claims Education and Independence Could Stop the Killings
NAIROBI, Kenya – April 14, 2025 – President William Ruto’s nominee for Gender Cabinet Secretary, Hannah Wendot Cheptumo, has linked Kenya’s rising cases of femicide to women’s financial dependency and the pursuit of relationships for money.
Cheptumo made the remarks on Monday during her vetting session at the Parliament buildings in Nairobi. She told lawmakers that one of her top priorities, if approved, will be to empower women economically to help reduce cases of gender-based violence and killings.
“I see a lot of it is because of dependency. If girls could have economic power, they would not depend on the other gender,” Cheptumo said.
Empowering Women Through Education and Skills
Cheptumo emphasized that the key solution is to educate and train women, especially those who do not make it to university. She said that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) can give girls the tools they need to earn money and become independent.
“If a woman is educated, chances are they will avoid these challenges in society today,” she added.
However, her comments were questioned by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, who pointed out that some of the women recently killed were educated.
In response, Cheptumo clarified, “They are educated, but those are looking for money.”
Advocate for Women’s Rights
Hannah Cheptumo is a trained lawyer and a strong advocate for women’s rights, legal empowerment, and social justice. She said that giving women access to education, jobs, and financial resources will help reduce the number of gender-related murders.
Ministry of Gender Has Been Vacant Since 2024
President Ruto nominated Cheptumo in March 2025 after the previous nominee, Stella Soi Lang’at, was rejected by Parliament in August 2024 over concerns about her qualifications.
The Gender Ministry had been without a Cabinet Secretary since July 2024, when Aisha Jumwa was dropped in a major Cabinet reshuffle following nationwide protests.
Ruto’s Gender CS Pick Blames Femicide on ‘Greedy Women Chasing Money’ — Claims Education and Independence Could Stop the Killings
