{"id":1,"date":"2025-08-04T06:36:33","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T06:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/?p=1"},"modified":"2025-08-04T12:18:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T12:18:17","slug":"hello-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/2025\/08\/04\/hello-world\/","title":{"rendered":"OPINION: To End GBV We Must Allow Both Divergent And Convergent Opinions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>By Ohaga Ohaga<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the advent of COVID-19 in Kenya, there have been a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/d2z29ewm3cfxbg.cloudfront.net\/news\/domestic-violence-gbv-cases-on-the-rise-as-coronavirus-pressures-hit-329906\/\">spike of gender-based violence<\/a>\u00a0(GBV). For instance, barely a month after the first lockdown in April 2, 2020, the National Council on Administration of Justice (NCAJ) released a statement saying sexual offenses had risen significantly following the government\u2019s announcement of the 7pm -5pm curfew.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"| CITIZEN WEEKEND | Cases of domestic violence on the rise during Covid-19 pandemic\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7pw_0MDkcqg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But it is the most recent GBV incidences that have emphasized the immediate need to relook at how we approach gender-based violence and its connection to other human rights such as freedom of expression, right to an opinion; freedom of the media, and human dignity in Kenya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Thursday, March 25, Radio Africa-owned Homeboyz Radio presenters were accused of \u2018victim-shaming\u2019 a sexual violence survivor during the morning show.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/d2z29ewm3cfxbg.cloudfront.net\/lifestyle\/homeboyz-radio-fires-breakfast-show-presenters-shaffie-weru-neville-dj-joe-mfalme-8992044\/\">Shaffie Weru, Neville Musya, and Joseph Munoru<\/a>&nbsp;alias DJ Joe Mfalme were referring to an incidence where Eunice Wangari Wakimbi 20-year-old woman whose boyfriend, whom she met on Facebook, allegedly threw her from the 12th floor of a building while they were drinking on their first date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s this occurrence that provided Kenyans with the best opportunity to relook and rethink how to approach GBV conversations. It is also this incidence that Shaffie premised his comments and asked his radio audience if they think such ladies are \u2018to loose\u2019. \u201cDo you think Kenyan chiles (slang) are too available? Are they too loose, too willing, too desperate and that\u2019s why they get themselves caught up in such situations?\u201d Shaffie had asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Opinion heavily divided<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>However, what was lost in the entire debate is what Shaffie said after that\u2026 He told the audience that women should play hard to get and occasionally be unavailable and urged women to stop going out to drink with men whenever called upon. Opinion was heavily divided on whether these comments were meant to start up a debate or to victimize a sexual violence survivor. Shaffie\u2019s remarks soon drew nationwide debate and created two groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Left and the Right. To the left were men and women who quickly assumed the role of high priests and chief moralists. They knew everything about gender-based violence and anyone with divergent opinion was regarded as a rape apologist, GBV enabler, male supremacist, or a \u201dwhataboutism\u201d purveyor. They were the prosecutor, judge, and juror in the matter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Communication Authority fines Homeboyz radio Ksh1m\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oMu0jib4Lps?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To the right were men and women who felt Shaffie and company were right. That women must not \u2018eat fare\u2019 and that Eunice shouldn\u2019t have been in the building with a man she barely knew. They regarded the Left as marriage washouts, toxic feminists, and boy-child emasculators. They were the defense and witness in the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A matter that was supposed to be a conversation starter was immediately turned into a gender war. Daggers were drawn and guns were cocked. Sober opinions were drowned by the loudest speakers. Only those with lethal and sharp tongues thrived. The debate was chaotic, disorderly, and dramatic. Gender issues in this country are like land matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often emotive and highly flammable. In practice nonetheless, best laws aren\u2019t made when people are comfortable but when they are not. This was an uncomfortable moment but it offered us the best chance to tackle GBV issues. It was supposed to be a conversation starter. Especially because the matter was touching on the media practice and had gained a lot of traction on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lost chance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This was the time to unpack Shaffie\u2019s comments and interrogate them. This was the time to talk to our girls about \u2018eating fare\u2019 and our boys about not expecting sex after sending fare. This was the time to tell our girls, listen danger lurks where you least expect it. This was the time to remind the men that sexual consent is non-negotiable. This was the time to ask Shaffie: why do you think such acts by women warrants them to be termed as \u2018too loose\u2019 or \u2018too available\u2019? But we didn\u2019t take that opportunity rather we wanted instant justice. Indeed, the justice prevailed but did this further the agenda on the GBV campaign? What message have both sides taken home?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"| DAY BREAK | Activism against gender based violence\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-gUb-w2Wbww?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We lost a chance that would have turned into opportunities like civic education on gender sensitivity, and trainings for all media practitioners, because let\u2019s face it, Shaffie\u2019s thoughts are shared by many men and women outside the parameters of Homeboyz Radio. These are daily conversations amongst Kenyans. These are daily conversations on social media. According to the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), 45 percent of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence since 15. 14 percent of women aged 15-49 report having experienced sexual violence at least once in their lifetime. Overall, 39 percent of ever-married women age 15-49 report having experienced spousal physical or sexual violence. This a confirmation that GBV is a serious going concern here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lessons from Homeboyz incident<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Shaffie\u2019s comments offered us a chance to relook at the ways of the man and how he thinks of women. We needed to stop for a moment and ask ourselves, why is Shaffie saying this? Is there a basis for his comments? For us to end GBV in Kenya we must allow men to speak their minds. It\u2019s until we achieve this that we will end GBV. Look at it this way, men are the custodian of culture in this country. In many communities, they are the opinion leaders. Also, they are the leaders in most households. Over and above that, GBV doesn\u2019t only affect women. It affects men too. We must therefore look at it from a broader perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless we indulge men to tell us how they feel about the gender issues we will make policies that exist only in paper but not in practice. It is through these \u2018insensitive\u2019 thoughts that we can then develop best policies and have the same entrenched in our daily lives and in workplaces. Disallowing the people to share their opinions means that you have policies that work for only one side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Victimization of men for saying something is the reason many have cowered in silence and finds it difficult coming out even when they are the victims of GBV. Two, for us to amplify our voices in the fight against the GBV, we need media as allies. To be an effective ally, it must feel free to offer that platform.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The media is supposed to bring to fore issues that make us uncomfortable while still observing the law. To censor it for doing that is essentially killing the conversation. Because we attached so many emotions to the matter, and blew the entire conversation out of proportion, we missed the opportunity to address the many grey errors that exist in the fight against gender-based violence in this country. Three, we suffer from over legislation of media laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have so many bodies with attachment to media practice. Whereas we have a journalism code of conduct that is enforced by Media Council of Kenya, it\u2019s the Kenya Communications Authority of Kenya that rushed into penalizing the presenters and the media house. On this matter alone, there are three bodies that had interest. The CA, MCK and National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alternative approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Communications Authority of Kenya had an opportunity to turn the punishment meted on Homeboyz Radio into an awareness creation, sensitization, and civic education moment for not just the station but to all the media practitioners and general public. We could have achieved so much by keeping the Programme on-air teaching Kenyans than suspending it. The punishment is a deterrent but it doesn\u2019t stop the gender insensitivity talks. That apart, the station was fined 1million shillings but this is almost the same salary as Shaffie\u2019s in a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"|DAY BREAK| Gender based Violence\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KXbaIKGDTxM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The licenses have been suspended but the thoughts haven\u2019t been. The Programme is off air but many other radio stations thrive on explicit and adult-rated content still on air. This was a moral and ethical issue rather than a legal one. And that is why, even the MCK noted in its statement saying\u2026 \u201cin line with the enforcement process, the MCK issued a notice demanding retraction and apology for violation of clauses 21, 23 and 24 of the journalism codes of conduct, that speak to use of pictures and names, acts of violence and editor\u2019s responsibility\u2019\u2019. Presently, the debate has gone silent, and conversation has largely been forgotten except for the victims and their families. Of huge concern is that there is even more gruesome GBV cases being reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rights violated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every person has inherent dignity and the right to have that dignity respected and protected as is envisaged under Article 28 of the Constitution. But the same Constitution provides for freedom of expression under Article 33 and freedom of the media under Article 34. One law doesn\u2019t outweigh the other. That is to say that we can\u2019t uphold someone\u2019s right to human dignity by violating another right to an opinion. We must not use the law selectively but decisively? GBV victims have suffered loss of dignity but does this mean that any thought regarding them should be suspended because of their loss? Who decides what is a right or a wrong opinion? Was Shaffie and company wrong for expressing their opinions? How do we strike a balance between the right of speech and respect for human dignity? Does the right to speak outweigh the right to human dignity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moving forward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We must learn to be tolerant of other people\u2019s views even if we don\u2019t agree with them. That\u2019s is how democracy works and is nurtured. In this case, we missed the chance because the issue was blown out proposition and the issues that emerged were swallowed by non -issues, and sober voices were drowned by the loudest speakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These gender wars in Kenya can either aggravate the problem of GBV or can lead to a solution. To succeed, we must stop with the mixed messaging and double standards in fighting GBV. We can\u2019t blow hot when it\u2019s about the woman and cold when it\u2019s the man. Women\u2019s rights are human rights. Men\u2019s rights are human rights. None is superior to the other. It\u2019s about agreeing that the energy we use in dealing with violence against women is the same we apply when the man is the victim.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This article was published by Citizen Digital<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Link to article<\/em>&gt;&gt;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizen.digital\/opinion-blogs\/opinion-to-end-gbv-we-must-allow-both-divergent-and-convergent-opinions-10302194\">https:\/\/www.citizen.digital\/opinion-blogs\/opinion-to-end-gbv-we-must-allow-both-divergent-and-convergent-opinions-10302194<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Ohaga Ohaga&nbsp; Since the advent of COVID-19 in Kenya, there have been a\u00a0spike of gender-based violence\u00a0(GBV). For instance, barely a month after the first lockdown in April 2, 2020, the National Council on Administration of Justice (NCAJ) released a statement saying sexual offenses had risen significantly following the government\u2019s announcement of the 7pm -5pm&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":73,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74,"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions\/74"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ohagaohaga.co.ke\/new\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}