BY SHABAN OMAR
Women and rights organizations are gearing up to conduct a nationwide census of widows in a renewed bid to push for the enactment of a law that guarantees their protection, inclusion, and support in national development.
This development follows the failed attempt by the government to pass the Widows Bill in 2016, a setback that left many vulnerable women without a clear legal framework to safeguard their rights and welfare.
The Director of Come Together Widows and Orphans Organization Diana Kamande confirmed that the process of drafting a new bill is already underway.
She said that once the initial draft is complete, it will be submitted to a lawyer at the National Assembly for review and legal clarity before advancing to the next legislative stage.
“The anticipated bill aims to address the many injustices and challenges faced by widows in this country. For years, they have been sidelined due to policy gaps and a lack of concrete data,” Kamande said.
The Director of Come Together Widows and Orphans Organization Diana Kamande during the International Widows Day in Kwale County.
The bill has already found support from Equality Now, Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development and Tuwajali Wajane among others.
She said that the absence of official statistics on widows has made it difficult for the government and development partners to plan, allocate resources, or roll out programs tailored for their empowerment and protection.According to her, Widows have never been properly counted in national statistics.
She said that a tally of one million widows in Kenya has been in the records since 2019.
“Without data, you cannot plan. You cannot budget. And most importantly, you cannot effectively protect the rights of a group you have not recognized,” Kamande added.
The planned census will be piloted in specific counties to help establish the actual number of widows, understand their socio-economic status, and identify their specific needs.
Kamande said the KNBS have already been informed and will help with the expertise in getting the right data.
She, however, said the exercise is quite different from the national sensors which will take place in 2028.
Kamande said the data will also form the basis for evidence-driven advocacy and policymaking.
She observed that the number of widows in Kenya has significantly increased, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which left many women widowed and economically strained.
Kamande said that despite their growing numbers, widows continue to suffer in silence, often facing stigma, property disinheritance, and exclusion from government programs.
She called on the government and other human rights stakeholders to support the process and ensure the proposed bill receives bipartisan backing once tabled in Parliament.
“The time has come to give widows a voice in the national conversation. They are mothers, caregivers, and contributors to our economy they deserve dignity and protection,” she said.
She said once enacted, the bill is expected to propose key policy reforms, including financial support mechanisms, protection from gender-based violence, access to inheritance, and inclusion in national and county-level development plans.
Founder and Director of the Tuwajali Wajane organisation Mwanasha Gaserego urged widows across the country to participate in the upcoming census and make their voices heard, noting that change will only come if they are counted and recognized as a key demographic group in Kenya’s social and economic fabric.
Gaserego said that once the actual number of widows is known, it will be easier to identify their needs and offer them targeted support.
Founder and Director of the Tuwajali Wajane organisation Mwanasha Gaserego
“With accurate data, it becomes simpler for the government and stakeholders to intervene effectively and promote the well-being and development of widows,” she said.
She further noted that once the bill is enacted, more empowerment programs could be designed to help widows become socio-economically resilient.
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