Nandi residents have been warned against solving gender-based violence, defilement and rape cases at home.
County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding and County Gender director George Ondong’a said GBV is on the rise because victims tend to solve the matter at home using ‘kangaroo courts’ instead of reporting to the authorities for immediate action.
Speaking to KNA in his office, Omoding said majority of defilement cases in the county are never prosecuted since parents opt to enter into out of court settlements with the culprits.
“GBV is a crime which should not be solved at home. We are warning local administrators who organise barazas to solve such cases at home that action will be taken against them,” he said.
The Gender director noted that the county has registered a surge in gender abuse and teen pregnancy since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic last year.
According to Ondong’a, his office has registered over 7,000 cases of teen pregnancy between July 2019 and June 2020.
Ondong’a attributed increase in teen pregnancy to poor parenting, poverty and lack of guidance and counselling from parents.
“Girls are easily enticed with gifts from boda boda riders who eventually lure them into relationships and finally impregnate them. Parents are advised to report the perpetrators’ to police for immediate action,” he said.
He asked parents, church leaders and education stakeholders to educate their teenagers on how to take care of themselves to avoid early pregnancy.
-Edited by SKanyara
