Rival protests in Kenya over miniskirt attack

kenya protestThere have been protests in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, after a group of men tore off a woman’s clothes for wearing a miniskirt.

At least 200 protesters who were against the attack on the woman chanted “Shame on you” and handed out flowers at a bus rank where the attack took place, the BBCreports.

At a rival demonstration, about 20 men chanted “Dress up. We don’t want this.”

Kenya is a conservative society, where activists complain that women’s rights are often violated.

A mother’s group, Kilimani Mums, organised the protest after a video of the attack went viral on social media last week.

Activists say the government has not done enough to protect the rights of women

Both Christians and Muslims took part in the protest

It sparked outrage among Kenyans, with the hashtags #MydressMychoice and #strippingshame trending on Twitter on Saturday and Sunday, the local Daily Nation newspaper reports.

Deputy President William Ruto entered the debate, saying Kenya was not a “primitive” society and the men who stripped the woman should be arrested.

Both men and women, some dressed in miniskirts, marched to the bus rank and the offices of police chief David Kimaiyo, demanding an end to violence against women.

Protesters accused taxi touts of stripping the woman.

Rival protesters gathered outside Mr Kimaiyo’s office, and were joined by a conservative Christian group chanting: “We are a God-fearing nation.”

Mr Kimaiyo has appealed to the unnamed woman to lodge an official complaint with police so that the incident can be investigated.