Save A Kenyan Initiative

SAKI Joins National Commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM in Taita-Taveta
2026-02-20 07:42 UTC
On 7th February 2026, a three-member team from Save A Kenyan Initiative (SAKI) joined national and county stakeholders in Taita-Taveta County to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Convened by the Anti-FGM Board, the event was held at Rekeke Primary School in Taveta Sub-County, an area selected due to its FGM prevalence rate of 17%, slightly above the national average of 15%.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 and observed annually on 6th February, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM serves as a global platform for governments, civil society, and communities to reaffirm their commitment to ending a practice that affects an estimated 230 million girls and women worldwide. This year’s theme, “Towards 2030: No End to FGM Without Sustained Commitment and Investment,” aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 5, Target 5.3, which calls for the elimination of all harmful practices by 2030.
The commemoration brought together senior national and county leaders, including the Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services, the leadership of the Anti-FGM Board, the Deputy Governor of Taita-Taveta County, and the Member of Parliament for Taveta Constituency. In her keynote address, the Cabinet Secretary underscored the need to accelerate investment in education, protection systems, and community-based interventions in high-prevalence counties. She reaffirmed the Government of Kenya’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of women and girls across the country.
Despite progress, projections indicate that more than 500,000 girls and women in Kenya could still undergo FGM by 2030 if coordinated and intensified efforts are not sustained.
Beyond Enforcement
Stakeholders emphasized that enforcement alone cannot eliminate FGM. While National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) play a critical role in implementing the law, lasting change requires a balanced approach, combining legal action with sustained public awareness, community dialogue, and grassroots advocacy. Transforming attitudes and social norms remains central to long-term success.
SAKI’s Commitment
SAKI remains steadfast in strengthening community-based prevention, building resilience, and supporting protective ecosystems that safeguard girls and young women from harmful practices. We believe that collaboration is essential and welcome partnerships with like-minded organizations, leaders, and community actors committed to ending FGM.
Ending FGM requires sustained commitment, strategic partnerships, and investment at every level, national, county, and community.
Join us in advancing a collective effort toward a Kenya free from FGM.

Protecting Kenya’s Daughters: SAKI joins forces with the Anti-FGM Board
2026-01-26
In a significant step toward safeguarding the rights, health, and dignity of women and girls in Kenya, Save a Kenyan Initiative (SAKI) held a strategic partnership meeting with the Anti-FGM Board to strengthen collaborative efforts aimed at eliminating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The high-level engagement brought together two committed leadership teams: SAKI’s delegation led by Chairman Mr. Mohamud Ibrahim, and the Anti-FGM Board team led by CEO Mrs. Bernadette Loloju. Discussions focused on building a structured framework for joint action against a harmful practice that continues to threaten the wellbeing and future potential of thousands of Kenyan girls and women.
Since its establishment, the Anti-FGM Board has made notable progress in combating FGM through public awareness campaigns in hotspot counties, community empowerment initiatives, psychosocial support services for survivors, and the development and strengthening of policy and legal frameworks. The Board’s goal of achieving zero tolerance for FGM by 2030, in line with global commitments, strongly aligns with SAKI’s mission of community-driven development and the protection of vulnerable populations.
The meeting explored urgent and emerging concerns, including persistently high FGM prevalence in Northern Kenya, the worrying resurgence of the practice in parts of Central Kenya, and increasing cases of cross-county and cross-border FGM, where families evade enforcement by moving girls across administrative or national boundaries. The leaders also examined the strategic role that faith-based institutions can play in the 22 hotspot counties, the need to strengthen implementation of existing legal and policy frameworks, and practical pathways to achieving zero tolerance by 2030.
Despite meaningful progress, several barriers continue to hinder eradication efforts. In some regions, deeply entrenched cultural and religious beliefs sustain the practice, making sustained community engagement and education essential. The challenge is further complicated by cross-border FGM, which undermines enforcement mechanisms, as well as the medicalization of FGM, where some practitioners illegally perform the procedure. These realities underscore the need for cross-sector coordination, stronger accountability, and long-term social norms change.
FGM carries severe and long-term consequences for women and girls, including life-threatening complications and fatalities, chronic infections and reproductive health problems, increased risks during childbirth for both mother and child, and lasting psychological trauma. These human costs reinforce the urgency for coordinated, rights-based action that prioritizes prevention, protection, and survivor support.
SAKI and the Anti-FGM Board identified priority areas for joint intervention that build on the strengths of both organizations. Planned collaboration includes targeted community advocacy programs in the 22 hotspot counties, integrated outreach that combines SAKI’s community engagement expertise with the Board’s technical and policy leadership, and community dialogue initiatives designed to shift harmful social norms. The partnership will also work to strengthen referral and support pathways for survivors.
SAKI calls upon community leaders, religious institutions, government agencies, civil society organizations, and all Kenyans of goodwill to join this collective effort. Together, it is possible to ensure that no girl is subjected to FGM and that every woman and child in Kenya lives with dignity, safety, and opportunity.
SAKI remains committed to building stronger and safer communities through education, empowerment, and strategic partnerships. For more information about SAKI’s work in conflict resolution, youth engagement, and community protection, or to support its initiatives, the organization welcomes engagement from partners and supporters.

Justice in Progress: A Step Toward Accountability and Healing for Shakahola Victims' Families
2026-01-22
In a significant development in one of Kenya’s most harrowing criminal cases, the Shakahola massacre trial has witnessed a major breakthrough that brings hope for justice to hundreds of grieving families. Enos Amanya commonly known as Halleluja, and who is one of 29 accused persons in the Shakahola killings, has pleaded guilty to 191 counts of murder before Lady Justice Diana Kavedza in Mombasa High Court, bringing to an end 22 months of denial and trial. This dramatic change of plea marks a critical milestone in the pursuit of accountability for the mass deaths linked to the Shakahola tragedy that occurred between January 2021 and September 2023.
The case has exposed the distressing impact of manipulation and abuse on vulnerable communities. Among the massacre victims were numerous children. In a particularly heartbreaking revelation, Amanya confessed to witnessing the deaths of his own children and participating in their burial alongside his wife. Ironically, his wife remains among the accused persons still maintaining her innocence. Only one of their children survived after rejecting the sect’s teachings and leaving Shakahola to seek employment.
Court proceedings revealed a coordinated scheme orchestrated by self-styled preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who acted as the chief architect of the operation. The prosecution detailed how the sect employed a deliberate system of starvation, abuse, and coercion to control followers.
Central to the sect’s operations was a coded language designed to normalize death within the community. Bodies were simply referred to as “fertilizer,” burials termed as “planting,” and dying described as “taking a jet” to meet Jesus. Followers reportedly shouted “Amina” to affirm Mackenzie’s instructions, creating an environment of absolute obedience where dissent was met with brutal punishment with some would be dissenters being tied with binding wire and beaten until death. This systematic abuse highlights the vulnerability of communities when critical thinking is suppressed and absolute obedience is demanded.
The prosecution has effectively closed its case after calling 120 witnesses and producing more than 500 exhibits over six months of intensive hearings. Justice Diana Kavedza convicted Amanya on his own guilty plea with the Director of Public Prosecutions calling for a comprehensive victim impact assessment report to guide sentencing, with particular consideration for surviving family members
At SAKI, we recognize that this case underscores the critical importance of community education, awareness, and empowerment to protect vulnerable populations. The tragedy reminds us why community-driven initiatives matters. When communities are actively engaged, informed, and economically empowered, they become more resilient against exploitation.
While no verdict can restore what was lost, this breakthrough in the legal process represents an important step toward accountability. Justice for the Shakahola victims and their families requires not only legal proceedings and convictions but also collective commitment to building communities where such tragedies cannot take root.
This case of Christian extremism is not an isolated incident in Kenya. The country has previously experienced similar cases, though none have reached the scale and horror of the Shakahola massacre.
Among adherents of the Kavonokya sect, prominent in the Eastern Kenya counties of Kitui, Embu, Meru, and Tharaka Nithi, cases of children dying from treatable diseases and pregnant women dying during childbirth due to lack of medical attention have been recorded. Their faith prohibits seeking conventional medical care, leading to preventable deaths. In one particularly bizarre case, a pregnant woman reportedly underwent a caesarean section at the hands of church elders rather than trained medical professionals.
These recurring incidents underscore the urgent need for community awareness, education, and protective measures to safeguard vulnerable populations from harmful religious practices that endanger lives, particularly those of women and children.
SAKI remains committed to working with local leaders, organizations, and communities to create environments where dignity is upheld, critical thinking is encouraged, and every individual has the opportunity to thrive.
As we await the final sentencing, we stand in solidarity with the victims’ families and recommit ourselves to the work of building stronger, more resilient communities throughout Kenya.
For more information about SAKI’s community empowerment programs or to support our work in education, economic development, and youth engagement, please contact us directly.

Save A Kenyan Calls for Strengthened Community Safeguards Following Rescue of Cult-Held Children in Mombasa
2025-11-03
Save A Kenyan Initiative (SAKI) expresses deep concern following reports of 27 individuals, including children, rescued from a religious sect in Changamwe, Mombasa, allegedly confined and
isolated under extremist conditions. We commend the swift action by security agencies and the vigilance of community members that led to the intervention.
Early reports indicate that children were withdrawn from school, denied medical care, and subjected to isolation from the community; behaviours consistent with coercive religious extremism and indoctrination practices. This incident underscores the urgent need for community-based vigilance, child-protection mechanisms, and psychosocial support pathways to counter rising sect-related radicalisation activities in Kenya.
As an organisation committed to safeguarding vulnerable communities from violent extremist influences, Save A Kenyan Initiative emphasises that victims of coercive religious extremism require trauma-informed support, rehabilitation, and reintegration – not stigma or criminalisation.
Our Immediate Response
Save A Kenya will work closely with authorities, local religious leaders, and child-protection agencies to ensure affected individuals, especially minors, receive :-

Emergency psychosocial and trauma support
Faith-sensitive deradicalisation counselling
Educational reintegration assistance for children
Family and community support services to foster safe reintegration

Save A Kenyan Initiative reaffirms its commitment to working with national and grassroots actors to build safe, resilient, and inclusive communities where no child is exploited under the guise of religion.

From the Valley of Death to Pathways of Peace: Government Amnesty and SAKI Program Inspire Hope in Kerio Valley
2025-09-11 - 2025-09-14 | Iten Town, Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya
Amidst the ongoing security operation to flush out bandits from the troubled Kerio Valley, often referred to as the “Valley of Death,” the Government of Kenya has extended an amnesty to those willing to surrender, lay down their weapons, and embrace peace. Encouragingly, seven notorious rustlers, who had long topped the most-wanted lists in Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot Counties, have taken this bold step.
These former bandits openly expressed relief at regaining their freedom after years of hiding in thickets and caves, constantly on the run and dodging bullets. The amnesty, they say, has given them a new lease on life and a chance to walk a different path.
In partnership with the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), SAKI organized a three-day engagement with the reformed bandits in Iten Town, Elgeyo Marakwet County. The program included psychosocial assessments to evaluate their vulnerabilities and come up with viable recommendations for the rehabilitation and reintegration.
Also present at the engagement were community representatives from both Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot Counties, alongside church leaders led by the Bishop of African Inland Church (AIC) Elgeyo Marakwet Diocese, Rev. David Kipsoi, and Rev. Barsiton Bowen from Chesongoch AIC Church. Rev. Bowen has been particularly instrumental in mentoring and offering spiritual support- as well as providing a safe haven- for notorious bandits willing to surrender. Their involvement underscored the vital role of faith-based institutions and community leadership in fostering reconciliation and peace.
Speaking during the event, NCTC Director General Mr. Kibiego Kigen assured the reform bandits of government support for their sustainable livelihoods and reintegration, while guaranteeing their safety. He commended them for their courageous decision and urged them to actively champion peace by encouraging their peers to also surrender their weapons before the amnesty window closes.
On its part, SAKI reaffirmed its commitment to walking alongside the reformed bandits in their rehabilitation and reintegration journey. SAKI also appealed to them to serve as peace ambassadors throughout the Kerio Valley region, inspiring others to abandon violence and embrace peace.
One of the reformed bandits, Mr. Wycliffe Kipkoskei, expressed deep gratitude to the Government, NCTC, and SAKI for supporting their transformation. Having once fled to a neighboring country to evade capture, he returned to take advantage of the amnesty. Now determined to pursue a course in videography, he movingly declared that he is “willing to drop the gun for a camera”- with the hope of creating content that will enlighten young people on the dangers of crime.
The journey of transformation in the Kerio Valley requires collaboration, patience, and commitment. SAKI remains steadfast in its mission to champion peace and reintegration- working hand in hand with government agencies, community leaders, and faith-based institutions. Together, we believe lasting peace is possible when communities choose dialogue over violence, hope over fear, and unity over division

Faith in Focus: SAKI Partners with Media Council of Kenya to Counter Religious Extremism
2025-09-10
The Save a Kenyan Initiative (SAKI) is stepping up its efforts to address the threat of religious extremism by forging a new partnership with the Media Council of Kenya (MCK). The collaboration seeks to promote responsible reporting and counter harmful extremist narratives across the country.
For SAKI, the fight against religious extremism goes beyond monitoring sects and cults. It is about protecting communities from dangerous doctrines that undermine public health, education, security, and the Constitution. As SAKI Executive Director Eric Githaiga explained:
“The doctrines of some sects, which prohibit vaccination and formal education, have led to preventable deaths and violations of the law. These practices are unconstitutional and pose serious public health and security risks.”
He emphasised the urgent need to sensitise journalists particularly at the grassroots level on how extremist groups operate and the dangers they present to society.
The urgency of this partnership has been sharpened by the Shakahola tragedy, where the misuse of faith by a cult leader led to the deaths of hundreds of Kenyans. The incident revealed how quickly extremist ideologies can take root and how critical the role of the media is in shaping understanding, preventing panic, and avoiding sensationalism that could inflame tensions.
MCK Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo welcomed the collaboration, noting the crucial role of the media in shaping public understanding. “There is a need for sensitisation in the media sector. Challenges in coverage have been evident, particularly during the Shakahola tragedy. We must focus on factual reporting without sensationalism, supported by continuous training and sensitisation,” he said. He further highlighted that responsible storytelling and digital literacy forums can foster awareness and prevent the misuse of press freedom.
The partnership will prioritise the creation of practical tools and platforms to support journalists and community media. This includes developing a reporting handbook with clear protocols for covering religious extremism, rolling out continuous training programmes, and convening a national media roundtable to encourage dialogue on responsible coverage of cults and sects.
Through this initiative, SAKI aims to establish a collaborative monitoring mechanism to curb the misuse of media freedoms by extremist preachers. Journalists will be empowered to tell stories that are factual, sensitive, and constructive, with a strong focus on behaviour change communication that listens to and engages target audiences.
While MCK brings regulatory oversight and professional standards to the initiative, including the new Code of Conduct for Media Practice 2025, SAKI anchors the collaboration in community resilience, strategic communication, and counter-extremism expertise. Together, the two organisations are working to ensure that the media becomes a partner in safeguarding Kenya’s future, amplifying positive narratives, and strengthening national cohesion.
At its core, this partnership reflects SAKI’s broader mission: to stand at the frontline of protecting Kenyans from harmful ideologies, restoring dignity to communities, and ensuring that faith is used as a force for peace and hope—not manipulation or harm.
