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Bishop John Waweru challenges church over skyrocketing GBV cases
11th December, 2025 09:22 AM
As the 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence come to a close, the church has been urged to take a lead role in advocacy against the vice, which is still rife in society.
The church has remained silent on the issue despite daily reports of women, men and children being abused, and it is now being urged to amplify its voice on the matter to help stem it, with leaders saying its voice could help bring change.
Also watch: Meru leaders raise alarm over rising gender-based violence ahead of the festive season
Bishop John Waweru, the founder of Share The Love Church, said the church, which acts as a watchdog in society, needs to join hands with other layers, including the government, to help fight GBV in the country.
Speaking during the church’s annual convention in Murang’a on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, Waweru said the fight against GBV requires a multifaceted approach, but it appears only human rights activists are speaking out.
“We want to hear the church speak out on this issue because its voice is very crucial and can help bring change in society,” Waweru said.
“The church commands a big following, and it should use the platform to campaign against the vice because the followers are the same people perpetrating violence or falling victim,” he added.
He, however, lamented that corruption has also been a major impediment to victims getting justice.
The bishop said the perpetrators always bribe their way out, accusing the police and judicial officers of colluding to deny justice to the victims.
“This is also an area of concern that needs to be addressed because some cases that are reported don’t get to see the light of day after money changes hands,” he added.
Cases of gender-based violence, some of them fatal, have been on the rise in the country, and despite the launch of several intensified campaigns to fight the vice, the trend is yet to go down.
National data indicate that at least one woman is killed on a daily basis due to femicide, as other forms of GBV continue to escalate.
During a recent stakeholders meeting in Murang’a, the National Gender and Equality Commission said people living with disabilities are the most vulnerable to gender-based violence in the country.
The commission’s CEO, Purity Ngina, said the surge in GBV in the county has not spared anyone, including children and the aged, terming it alarming.
“Gender-based violence is pervasive, and it can happen anywhere and to anyone, and that’s why we need to create more awareness about it,” remarked Ngina.
