President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday, July 28 ordered a countrywide crackdown on clinics issuing contraceptives to underage girls.
According to President Kenyatta, the clinics are promoting sexual promiscuity which is also taken advantage of by sexual predators who offer contraceptives to the minors to prevent pregnancies.
Uhuru's order was communicated by Education Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Zack Kinuthia who noted that the president identified the dangers contraceptives pose on young girls.
"The president has told us that adult males who engage in criminal sex with minors get hiding places in emergency contraceptives, and procure family planning injections and pills for minors, making sexual briefs with them a ‘safe’ lifestyle," Kinuthia told Daily Nation.
The CAS stated the law does not permit minors to access family planning services, since birth control is about those in legally recognised marital unions.
The president is in search of a lasting solution to curb the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies, abortion and sexual promiscuity.
Some of the most sought after contraceptives by teenagers according to Kinuthia include injectables, oral pills, intrauterine, voluntary surgical contraception, Norplants, vaginal barriers and spermicides.
The Ministry of Education will work with security officers and county commissioners to ensure that those found guilty are brought to book.
Aside from the crackdown on contraceptives being offered to underage girls, the government is also looking to put an end to female genital mutilation that is now being done by health professionals.
Uhuru on Thursday, July 9 announced free pre and post-natal care for all teenage pregnancies in the country and directed all chiefs to register all expectant schoolgirls.
The president has been on the forefront of the battle against teenage promiscuity as on Thursday, July 2 Uhuru noted that chiefs would be answerable to how school-going children were being defiled under their watch.
