As a city that derives its name from a Maasai phrase meaning “cold water”, the morning of July 24, 2014 was paradoxically hot in Nairobi. Despite the heat, a group of women and men from diverse backgrounds congregated in Uhuru Park in preparation for a grand march to the Kenyan Parliament. The objective of the march was to present a petition for the enactment of the Protection Against Domestic Violence (PADV) Bill. A young woman from the Men Engage Kenya Network (MENKEN), one of many civil society organizations that had come together for this worthy cause, firmly grasped the edge of the event banner. Next to her, several men led the procession, sending a clear message of male allyship in ending domestic violence. The marchers chanted one message: “Jamii Bila Balaa,” or “a society without violence.” Despite popular support, some parliamentarians felt the bill was too intrusive of their private lives. “There is nothing like ‘sexual abuse’ between a husband and wife,” said one MP. Another member warned that “we are trying to introduce activism in our homes.” Eventually, a strong coalition of parliamentary associations and activists, with the support of international organizations, turned the tide. Reflecting on this coalition-building strategy, Hon. Priscilla Nyokabi noted that, “Legal reforms are about heavy lifting, they require many more lifters, everybody pushing from their end.”
The adoption of the PADV Act in 2015 represents just one example in the long struggle for...
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