Gender, Culture, and Children Services Cabinet Secretary Hanna Wendot has directed the police to arrest four brothers captured on video assaulting their sister, Millicent Rotiken, for refusing to reconcile with her estranged husband.
The disturbing footage, which went viral on social media, shows Ms. Rotiken crying for help as the four men beat her with long sticks. The CS condemned the attack, calling it a gross violation of the woman’s rights.
“This woman is a mother of two—a four-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter. She was also three months pregnant at the time of the assault. She had been previously married but chose to leave the marriage because she was not comfortable in it,” said CS Cheptumo.
While acknowledging the influence of cultural practices in some communities, the CS firmly stated that no culture can override the Constitution or justify such violence. “We are looking at the welfare of the children and the safety of the mother. This is not the kind of culture protected by the Constitution,” she emphasized.
The CS expressed concern that only the estranged husband had been arrested so far and confirmed that an agreement had been reached with the security team to ensure the four brothers are also arrested without delay.
Rejecting any attempts to resolve the matter through the Alternative Justice System (AJS), CS Cheptumo said the nature of the crime requires the perpetrators to face the full force of the law. “This was a heinous act. AJS cannot be applied in such a case,” she stated.
She assured the public that Ms. Rotiken is currently in a secure location but declined to reveal her whereabouts for safety reasons.
CS Cheptumo was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Gender, Ann Wang’ombe, Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei, Narok North MP Agnes Pareyio, and several gender rights activists from Narok County.
Speaking at the same event, Ms. Tonkei stressed the right of every individual to choose their life partner, condemning the attack as a grave violation of personal freedom. “It is unacceptable to subject a young woman to such brutality simply because of her marital choices,” she said.
