Despite Kenya’s Constitution promising equal inheritance, the reality on the ground for many widows is different. Grief plus discrimination. Culture that strips property. Justice that is out of reach.

In this powerful feature on 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐕 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, our widows shared their painful truths – being told 𝐖𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, being evicted with their children, being pressured to accept wife inheritance.

𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄.

Come Together Widows and Orphans 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – 𝐂𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐎 convened a 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬’ 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚 to develop actionable strategies that helped us come up with a joint communique

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬:

The 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐭 shields widowed persons from disinheritance.

The 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭 regulates how property of a deceased person is distributed – and a widow is entitled to life interest in deceased’s estate.

Public servants’ widows may qualify for widow’s pension.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡. We must break harmful cultural practices, raise legal awareness, and enforce dignity.

As we said at the forum: 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 – and it must be guaranteed regardless of gender, status and circumstance.

Thank you to all widowed persons who bravely shared their stories, to our partners 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐰, 𝐅𝐈𝐃𝐀-𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚, 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐒 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚, 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐢𝐝, and all stakeholders who joined us.

We at CTWOO remain committed to ensuring no widow is left vulnerable, exploited, or pushed into poverty.

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