The emergence of this troubling trend in Kenya, where acts of cruelty and human suffering are captured and shared on social media platforms, is indeed alarming.
It represents a stark departure from the values of empathy, respect, and compassion that have long been cherished within Kenyan communities.
In a society where the sanctity of life is supposed to be upheld and protected, the dissemination of such graphic and disturbing content for transient fame or entertainment is deeply concerning.
It not only violates the dignity and privacy of the individuals involved but also desensitizes viewers to human suffering, transforming it into a grotesque spectacle rather than a call for empathy and action.
This trend raises profound ethical and moral questions about the impact of the digital era on societal values and norms.
It challenges the very essence of what it means to be humane and compassionate in a technologically advanced world where the boundaries between public and private spheres are increasingly blurred.
Furthermore, it underscores the importance of collective responsibility in addressing and combating such behaviors. Religious leaders, medical experts, policymakers, and civil society must come together to condemn and counteract this culture of voyeurism and exploitation.
Education and awareness campaigns are essential to remind individuals of their ethical obligations and the consequences of their actions in perpetuating such harmful practices.
Ultimately, the prevalence of sadistic behavior in Kenyan society reflects a broader societal malaise that demands urgent attention and concerted efforts to foster a culture of empathy, respect, and compassion for all individuals, both online and offline.
“It is amazing that the priority of those who arrive at accident scenes is to take pictures of the dying and send them all over instead of assisting them get to hospitals. We are living in a sick society where people seems to enjoy seeing others dying or suffering in one way or another,” says Nyeri Catholic archbishop Anthony Muheria.
The proliferation of disturbing social engagements in Kenya, where individuals record and share egregious incidents such as gang rapes, violent attacks, and even scenes of people dying, is deeply troubling and represents a grave violation of human dignity and rights.
The viral “Sigor Boys” footage, which captured the horrifying incident of several young men sexually assaulting a woman in turns in Bomet West, is particularly egregious and highlights the extent of the problem.
Such acts not only perpetuate violence and trauma against the victims but also perpetuate a culture of impunity and desensitization among viewers.
Extreme trauma
The incident, captured in a viral video, happened in Chebanyi village came to the limelight when a clip trending as “Sigor boys” on social media platform X, showed several men in a dimly lit room taking turns to sexually assault a woman.
The gang rape that happened in December 2023 infuriated most Kenyans who called for stern measures to deter such assaults. The suspects were later arrested.
“The Kenyan society is extremely traumatised because of the many burdens hanging on people’s shoulders, from unemployment, poor economy and high cost of living to corruption. People are no longer scared of deaths, as they instead find entertainment in it,” says Dr Oscar Wanyutu Githua, a forensic psychologist.
Dr Githua says that as a result of the hardships, Kenyans have become numb, which is the biggest sign of a society traumatised.
“The people you see filming others as they drown, or as they breathe their last and share those videos on social media are no longer humane. They have lost hope in life and the reasons they would rather circulate such pictures,” says Dr Githua.
The have been cases of abuse involving civilians and also police. Majority of the cases happen in the domestic setting.
During the recent devastating floods that have so far claimed about 300 lives, destroyed properties worth millions of shillings and displaced hundreds of thousands, most Kenyans amplified the bad habit of capturing people struggling to escape after they got trapped in deep flood waters.
In videos shared on social media attracting thousands of views, Kenyans were uncharacteristically seen spectating and others celebrating as people were swept away by floods.
In June 2020, three police officers were arrested after a widely circulated video showed them dragging a woman behind a motorcycle and whipping her.
“Psychologically people are born good with a clean slate but through experience either good or bad they turn and change into either of the two. So, the sadist and masochists could have experienced bad things and they ended up deriving pleasure from such actions of taking videos and photos of evil things happening,” Jane Nduta, a Kiambu-based counselor told People Daily yesterday.
Reverend Phyllis Githaiga, a counsellor and a gospel minister with Glory Outreach Assembly (GOA) in Ruiru says excitement about bad incidents boils down to decayed moral fabric, lack of compassion, poor upbringing and loss of Godly values.
To curb the habit, Githaiga called on Kenyans to be human to compassionately handle situations in a way that does not make others suffer.
Security officials and police oversight bodies have also warned on the increase of people killed or seriously injured in mob attacks, often with official complicity.
Equally, these attacks are also recorded and shared on various social media platforms.
A senior police officer has also warned that though there are laws that are preventive, remedial and punitive, vigilantism and mob injustice are becoming accepted delivery mechanisms for imparting justice.
“Some people seeking to settle personal scores may also infiltrate the ranks of the mob,” he said.
