Chiefs to Be Held Accountable For Teenage Pregnancies- Uhuru Warns

President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing National Government Administration Officers at KICC on July 2, 2020.
President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing National Government Administration Officers at KICC on July 2, 2020.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday, July 2, broke his silence over the alarming number of teenage pregnancy cases in the country.

While addressing the National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) at KICC, the Head of State noted that chiefs would be answerable on how school-going children were being defiled under their watch.

"How do we allow people to go around impregnating small girls and we don't speak about it? We will wait for DNA results and you are the ones who will bear that burden,"

"Na wewe chief lazima utasema what you were doing when these children were being abused (You will also have to explain what you were doing when children were being abused)," the president warned.

Presidnet Uhuru Kenyatta addressing National Government Administration Officers at KICC on July 2, 2020.
President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing National Government Administration Officers at KICC on July 2, 2020.

He further reiterated the stance by Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya who had publicly declared a war on teen pregnancies' perpetrators.

"I've seen what George Natambeya is doing that shows there is an authority in place. People must be disciplined and do what they are supposed to be doing. It's not about being soft on people. You must stand up and show there is a government in place," he added.

A surge in the number of teenage pregnancies has largely been attributed to the closure of schools.

A report by the National Council on Population and Development (NCPD) showed that two out of five teenagers in Kenya are either young mothers or pregnant

Since the pandemic was reported in the country in early March, 20, 828 girls aged between 10 and 14 years have become mothers while older girls aged between 15-19 years, 24,106 are either pregnant or mothers already.

File image of a pregnant teenager
File image of a pregnant teenager
File

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua responded to a survey by the Kenya Health Information System that had shown about 4,000 girls aged 19 years and below were reported pregnant in the county since the year began.

Mutua insisted on protection of the innocence of children with efforts from both the society and family units.

"This is a national problem. During my teenage days, we attended sexual education classes in church and at school that taught us to avoid promiscuity and protect ourselves from other vices and diseases. We all need to address this problem, Corona or no Corona," he stated.

Other counties reported having a high number of teenage pregnancies include  Kakamega, Nairobi, Kilifi and West Pokot.

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua speaking during a press briefing at his Mavoko, Athi River, office on April 12, 2020.
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua speaking during a press briefing at his Mavoko, Athi River, office on April 12, 2020.
File

 

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