The psychological torture as Ivy Wangeci’s mother fights for justice [Pulse Contributor's Opinion]

What I do not understand is why rape and murder cases drag on for years and years in court while most cases of political interest take less than a month to rule.

How selfish can we be, how inhumane, how much more self-absorbed can we get? We see them run to bury our dead, we hear them make promises they cannot keep for their own selfish reasons yet we still fight to keep them in power. Please make it make sense.

Moi University student Ivy Wangechi who was hacked to death (Twitter) Moi University student Ivy Wangechi who was hacked to death on Tuesday (Twitter) Pulse Live Kenya

Help me understand why justice has not been served on Ivy Wangechi’s case close to 2 years after her brutal murder, why Mrs Winfred King’ori (Ivy’s mum) still has to re-live her daughter’s murder time and again.

A daughter whose suspected murderer was declared of sound mind and made a verbal confession.

Why is it that a case that has enough eye witnesses and enough evidence, is not a priority to our judiciary? Make it make sense. Two weeks, I would understand, A month, reluctantly but 2 years?

Ivy Wangechi's mother during her Burial Ivy Wangechi's mother during her Burial Pulse Live Kenya

I am disappointed

Time and again I Google just to see how far this case has come, something, anything, a spark of hope that justice will be served. Every single time, I am disappointed.

Disappointed by the fact that we have lost our humanity. Disappointed that we can stand by and watch a mother fight for justice for an atrocity that was carried out in broad daylight. Disappointed that we hear her, see her but refuse to acknowledge her and the injustice she is currently facing.

Ivy Wangechi laid to rst in Nyeri. She scored 8 straight As in KCSE Ivy Wangechi laid to rst in Nyeri. She scored 8 straight As in KCSE Pulse Live Kenya

Then we swear to pray, pray for a family that has laid their daughter to rest but still mourns fresh wounds and it’s our fault they are still mourning.

We pray for Mrs Winfred’s strength; we pray for healing. Yes, we keep praying and then in a week or two, we forget that as we fight our everyday battles, she is fighting a never-ending battle that is being made even harder by the system.

For how long are women going to be killed and our courts remain silent. Where are our gender activists? Why is the law, the country, the leadership silent when women are raped, tortured and killed left right center.

Naftali Kinuthia, the mansuspected of killing Ivy Wangechi Naftali Kinuthia, the mansuspected of killing Ivy Wangechi Pulse Live Kenya

Why don’t we ever see the culprits brought to justice? Where are we going wrong? I am really hopeful that at least now that we have a number of women in the highest ranks in the judiciary who can resonate with the challenges women face fighting when they are abused, their rights trampled on and our voices go unheard.

We hope it is going to make a difference. Mrs Chief Justice Martha Koome, these cases should be a priority.

We have failed Ivy as a country. We have failed Sharon Otieno, Monica Kimani and every single woman who has lost her life in the hands of a man for the mere fact that she is a woman.

I’m ashamed that you still have to go through this Mama Ivy. I don’t even know if saying hang in there helps but hang in there. We are praying for and with you. We have not forgotten. I have not forgotten.

Our Judiciary has failed us.

Pulse Contributors: Polet Njeri Ouma Pulse Live Kenya

The foregoing is an Opinion Article submitted to Pulse Live Kenya for publication as part of the Pulse Contributors initiative.

Pulse Contributors is an initiative to highlight diverse journalistic voices. Pulse Contributors do not represent the company Pulse and contribute on their own behalf.

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Polet Njeri Ouma is a medical intern at Hacettepe School of Medicine, Ankara - Turkey. She is a frequent blogger and YouTuber, passionate about women & empowerment, Human Rights, Sexual Gender Based Violence and Gender equality. She has recently completed certified courses on Feminism and Social Justice, International Women’s Health and Human Rights and a course on African Development. She also volunteer’s with BBRC (Bridging Bridges for Refugee Children in Ankara).