ISSUED BY THE REVOLUTIONARY WOMEN’S LEAGUE (RWL), COMMUNIST PARTY MARXIST (CPM-KENYA)
JAMHURI DAY, 12 DECEMBER 2024
Fellow Kenyans,
Today, on Jamhuri Day, we commemorate Kenya’s independence from colonial rule. It is a day that reminds us of the sacrifices made by millions of oppressed Kenyans who fought for freedom, equality, and self-determination. Yet, 60 years after independence, the vision of a truly liberated Kenya remains unrealised.
The independence struggle was waged to dismantle systems of oppression, exploitation, and inequality. But the reality we face today is a stark betrayal of that promise. Colonial violence has been replaced by capitalist exploitation and patriarchal domination. Under the regime of William Ruto, this oppression is most brutally felt by the working class and, in particular, by women who endure the twin evils of patriarchy and capitalism.
On this symbolic day, the Revolutionary Women’s League calls upon all Kenyans to reflect deeply: what is independence if women are not free? What is sovereignty if femicide—the murder of women—continues unabated, enabled by a state that refuses to protect its people? The patriarchal violence we see today is a continuation of colonial strategies of control, now wielded by a domestic ruling class that serves imperialism and capitalism instead of its people.
The anti-femicide march on 10 December 2024 was a direct action against these oppressive systems. The cries of “Ruto Must Go” are not just demands for an end to his fascist government but a rallying call for the completion of Kenya’s independence struggle—a struggle for true liberation.
On Jamhuri Day, as we honour the sacrifices of our forebears, let us recommit to the fight for a Kenya where no woman fears violence, no worker is exploited, and no family suffers under the yoke of poverty. True independence demands the dismantling of the patriarchal and capitalist systems that perpetuate oppression.
The march also exposed the class betrayal of privileged liberal women who attempted to dilute the revolutionary demands of the people. Their actions remind us that independence can only be won through the unity of the working class—women and men together—not through alliances with those who defend capitalist privilege. The Revolutionary Women’s League unequivocally rejects these parasitic alliances that undermine our collective struggle.
Today, we reclaim Jamhuri Day as a revolutionary day—a day to reaffirm that our independence will remain incomplete until working-class women and men are free from all forms of oppression.
To the women of Kenya, especially the working class: our liberation is tied to the liberation of our nation. Together, we will dismantle the systems that perpetuate femicide and all forms of patriarchal violence. Together, we will overthrow the capitalist exploitation that denies us our humanity. Together, we will build a Kenya that realises the dreams of our ancestors—a Kenya of freedom, justice, and equality.
On this Jamhuri Day, let us unite in action to complete the journey to true independence.
Down with parasitic alliances!
Down with patriarchy!
Abash capitalism!
#EndFemicide
#RutoMustGo
In solidarity and struggle,
Winnie Obiero
Secretary, Revolutionary Women’s League
Communist Party Marxist (CPM-Kenya)