CS Kuria responds to femicide cases with crackdown on rental spaces operating outside official platforms

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has announced a crackdown on unscrupulous people operating short-term rental spaces without proper certification and outside the registered platforms.

In a statement released on Sunday, January 28, 2024, Kuria noted that the rise in cases of femicide perpetrated in such premises is of great concern to the government.

“The government is very concerned about growing cases of crime and murders, mostly targeted at women in short term rental spaces.” Stated the CS.

The CS noted that whereas most of these spaces, including where recent murders of women have happened are termed as Airbnb, business deals are often transacted outside the platform.

The result, according to the CS, is that no Know Your Customer (KYC) data is collected.

“Whereas most of these spaces are termed as Airbnb, they are not transacted through the Airbnb platform and thus there is no Know Your Customer (KYC) data collected,” Kuria explained.

The CS announced that a crackdown is in the offing, targeting people operating outside authorized and licensed platforms.

“The government will crack down on people offering such services outside the AirBNB or other authorised and licensed platforms” Kuria added.

Campaign to end femicide in Kenya

Cases of ladies murdered in short term rental spaces booked and paid for outside authorized and licensed platforms such as Airbnb have been on the rise.

READ: How firebrand celebrities mixed creativity & activism during #EndFemicideKE march [videos]

Among the cases reported is that of Starlet Wahu where police officers responding to a distress phone call encountered her lifeless body near the door.

Starlet Wahu Pulse Live Kenya

The body was soaked in blood and had multiple bruises and stab wounds, a visible sign of a scuffle in the apartment.

Police also found HIV testing kits, used condoms, a bloodstained knife, the victim’s clothes and a phone.

John Matara the suspect who was captured on CCTV accessing the apartment in the company of the deceased was arrested at Mbagathi Hopsital while being treated for stab wounds.

Shortly afterwards, the lifeless body of Rita Waeni was found in an apartment in Kasarani with some body parts missing.

Police launched investigations into the matter with the deceased head recovered a few days later.

Rita Waeni Rita Waeni Pulse Live Kenya

According to her family, the killers had demanded for a ransom of Sh500,000.

Cases of femicide have also been reported outside the short-term rental spaces.

The lifeless body of 28-year-old Nelvin Museti was found outside her apartment in Lang’ata in what is suspected to be murder.

READ: Focus shifts to Ruto & Gachagua's silence as politicians weigh in on femicide

A police officer spent the night at the deceased house on the night of her death was picked by detectives.

"Investigations were immediately commenced whereby a mobile telephone analysis of the victim's phone was carried out and it was established a mobile subscriber 07**5882** later identified as (Name and service number withheld) was found to have been in constant communication with the victim.

“Further analysis revealed that the subscriber proceeded and joined the victim at her apartment for the night. Additionally, he was found to have purchased the items indicated.” Read the police statement in part.