- Ndeti highlighted the distressing fact that the county is now among the top counties grappling with the crisis
- Counties leading in teen pregnancies are Nairobi with 452, Kakamega (328), Bungoma (294), Kilifi (224), Meru (206), Kisii (192), Machakos (178).
Image: COURTESY
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has expressed deep concern over the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies in the county.
Ndeti highlighted the distressing fact that the county is now among the top counties grappling with the crisis calling for concerted efforts among the stakeholders to help address it.
“We are leading in teenage pregnancy. Tafadahali nisaidieni. Hawa wasichana wetu tuongee na wao, maneno ya kubeba mimba mapema utabeba upeleke wapi? (Please help me talk to these young girls, where are we taking these early pregnancies to?),” she posed.
Speaking at an event in the county, the governor particularly called on the old and young men to take the lead role in protecting the school going girls from exploitation.
The trend, she noted, has seen many girls who are unable to cater to the needs of the young children.
Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) on Thursday issued “red cards” to 20 governors accusing them of allegedly failing to make tangible steps to mitigate unintended teenage pregnancies that affect girls aged between 15 to 19 years.
The KHRC team led by Executive Director Davis Malombe, Deputy Executive Cornelius Odour, Program Manager Annet Nerima and Program Advisor Furaha Charo cited a report by the National National Syndemic Disease Control Council which showed that 696 girls were impregnated daily in 2023.
"We must address a pressing issue plaguing our society. The crisis of intended teenage pregnancies in Kenya, which comes with gross human violations," Malombe said.
Some 10 governors were accused of not making efforts to curb teenage pregnancies while another 10 were cited for having the highest per capita contribution to teen pregnancies.
The counties leading are Nairobi with 452, Kakamega (328), Bungoma (294), Kilifi (224), Meru (206), Kisii (192), Machakos (178) and Narok (176).
The counties with the highest per capita contribution to teen pregnancies were Samburu 50.1, West Pokot 36.3, Marsabit 29.4, Migori 23, Kajiado 21.8, Baringo 20.3, Siaya 20.9, Taveta 18, Trans Nzoia 17.9, Isiolo 16.7 percent respectively.
While also reviewing the data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, the commission noted that some teenage pregnancies were caused by poverty, sexual gender-based violence and harmful cultural practices and school closures experienced in 2020.
Charo called on health and education ministries and the Council of Governors to come together to mitigate the crisis.
"The Ministry of Education should ensure that every teenage girl is permitted back to school and provided with psychosocial support without objection," Charo said.
"The Ministry of Health should recommit to the Eastern and Southern Africa Commitment on comprehensive sexual education."
The Council of Governors was asked to investigate the crisis and offer policies for the prevention and management of teenage pregnancies.
Parents on the other hand were told to ensure well being and welfare of children in accordance with the Children’s Act.