My mother was cursed, accused of juju (witchcraft), and stripped of access to her home, property and children. All because she was a widow. She suffered in her final days and died alone. To this day, we, her children still don't know where she was buried. I was 10 years old at the time when my world came crumbling down after the sudden death of my father. All I remember was how my mother was abused and left crying every single day.

She was not alone. Like my late mother, many widows across Kenya are going through untold sufferings because they don’t have any element of support from family, society or state institutions. Thousands of families are disintegrating upon the death of the father, widows are sent away from their matrimonial home and this not only affects them but also their orphaned kids. Kisumu county, where I live, is notorious for such incidents. 

As someone who has suffered, I have decided to take action today in honor of my mother’s memory. I want to fight until every widow gets justice, freedom from suffering and wins back her right to dignity.

Please help sign this petition appealing to the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Affirmative Action and Gender Affairs, Hon Aisha Jumwa to strengthen existing laws and ensure their strict implementation to protect widows from constant blatant abuse and to secure their right to inheritance after the death of their husbands.

Our media is filled with stories of widows being kicked out of their marital homes and denied their right to inherit properties left behind by their deceased husband. Many more cases never get reported. Such incidents will stop only when we the common citizens unite and demand justice.

Sign and share my petition because every signature will help us persuade the Governor to take action.

 I couldn’t save my mother but together if we can save even one widow from a cruel fate through this campaign it will be worth it.

#StandUpForWidows