Widows' long fight for protection pays off as Siaya County passes landmark Bill

The Siaya Widows Protection Bill 2025 was passed by the County Assembly on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, after a wait of more than thirteen years for robust legal safeguards. The Bill is meant to address the unique challenges faced by widows, particularly inheritance rights, economic empowerment, and protection from abuse and discrimination.

The Bill's sponsor, Masidis Scholastica Madowo, MCA for South East Alego Ward and Chairperson of the Siaya County Assembly Women Caucus, expressed her pride in thE achievement. 

"Now we await the assent of the Governor to make it an Act," she stated. 

Madowo outlined the Bill’s framework in outlawing forced harmful cultural practices, protecting widows' inheritance rights, establishing ward welfare committees, creating a Directorate of Widows, and setting up an empowerment fund. She emphasized that the bill received overwhelming support from widows and will offer relief to those who have endured extreme violations of their rights.

The groundbreaking legislation has also drawn commendation from the national government. Weighing in on the conversation, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Children's Services, Carren Ageng'o, stated, "We commend the county government of Siaya on their focus to push for the women's agenda through such laws, which will allow widows to contribute to the achievement of national goals."

This sentiment was echoed at the grassroots level. Thomas Agutu, the Director of Nyogaya Foundation, hailed the Bill as a decisive end to long-standing suffering. 

“The passing of this bill is God sent and will resolve the vulnerability of widows and orphans once and for all,” Agutu stated, highlighting the profound impact the legislation is expected to have. 

"Many orphans have lost their future as they go through frustrations that their mothers have to go through. Widows and orphans have had no voice and therefore become very vulnerable, something that this Bill will resolve once and for all,” added Agutu.

Support for the Bill extends beyond Siaya's borders. Lillian Ngala, founder of the Homabay-based organization, Lillian Ngala Foundation, celebrated the legislation as a national milestone. 

“This bill establishes a crucial framework that the other 46 counties can emulate. For widows who cannot afford legal representation and face hostile relatives seeking to disinherit them, having their rights enshrined in law will be transformative,” Ngala hailed Siaya for what she termed as a powerful precedent for protecting widows' rights across Kenya.

The Bill's potential for transformative impact is also significant from an economic standpoint. 

Zacky Masiro highlighted its strategic importance, noting, "It's so fortunate that the enactment will be done in Siaya, a county that has never been so lucky to have many or vibrant NGOs that could fill in the gaps by taking care of the widows, both socially and economically." 

Masiro added, "It's therefore noticeable that the county is deliberate towards elevating widows to the desired economic levels while socially protected at the same time. We look forward to proper funds management on the implementations."

For many women, the news brings a mix of painful memories and hope for the future. Phoebe Atieno, one of the many widows who have endured suffering, in an interview with Ramogi Tv, recounted the ordeal she was forced to undergo. 

"They made me follow retrogressive cultural practices," she shared. "Culturally, they used to make widows put on the inner clothing of their late husband as part of the tradition, against our wish. It was dehumanizing."

Her experience is explicitly mirrored by Rosemary Owino, who faced not only psychological distress but also severe material hardship. 

"I stayed in my husband's house that could not hold rain water anytime it rained," Rosemary recalled. Her grief was compounded by rigid, enforced mourning rituals. "I also had to put on some specific clothing, which I followed religiously for two years," she added. "It was a period of immense pressure and sorrow."

Charles Osako, a member of Raymond Omollo Widows Empowerment Program, supported the Bill, urging the County Assembly of Siaya to share insights with the Senate so that it becomes a national legislation "since widows across the country are facing similar challenges."

The newly passed Bill directly confronts these challenges through its comprehensive framework, which promises to transform the lives of widows by protecting their rights, providing economic opportunities, and ending harmful cultural practices.

The passage of this bill marks a significant step away from oppressive traditions and towards a more just and compassionate society in Siaya. For the widows and orphans of the county, it provides a long-awaited voice and a legally backed promise of a safer, more secure future.