A young girl whose parents had promised her hand in marriage to four different elderly men is now safe in a boarding school after the intervention of Magarini MP Michael Kingi.
The parents separately promised each of the men that the girl was his after the payment of money which, in a region that pays little attention to girls' education, is a few thousand shillings.
Kingi came to the girl's rescue after she sent him an SoS from a relative's home where she had taken refuge.
The MP secured a place for her at Magarini Girl’s Boarding School and paid her full scholarship.
The girl’s parents had collected dowry from each of the elderly men.
The girl sent the MP text pleading with him to help her to pursue education as the parents wanted her to be married.
"I rescued the girl and helped her get admission to Magarini Girl’s Boarding School with a full bursary from Magarini CDF," he said during the official handing over of a dormitory built by NG-CDF at the school.
Kingi said the girl’s case is one of many such cases in Kilifi where the dreams of a better life of many a girl have been ruined by greedy and ignorant parents.
He said this should stop and called on parents to let girls to have equal opportunities like boys of pursuing their dreams.
He told chiefs and area leaders to act against parents who removed their school-going girls from classrooms to get married.
"The newly opened dormitory, which can accommodate 250 girls, is one way of keeping girls in school to reduce early pregnancies and early marriages."
The MP's sentiments were echoed by Marafa Ward representative Renson Kambi who said it was time parents in Kilifi woke up to the reality that the girl child should be empowered through education.
The county leads in the number of teenage pregnancies in Kenya. Over 17,000 teenage pregnancies were reported last year.
"It’s the responsibility of parents and the society to decide how best to nurture and protect the future generation. This is best done through equal opportunities for both men and women," Kambi said.
