Kirinyaga Women Representative Njeri Maina has raised concern over the unavailability of sanitary towels for school girls.
Speaking in Parliament, Maina questioned why the government was yet to avail the sanitary towels despite President William Ruto pledging free sanitary towels during the signing of the Kenya Kwanza Women Charter.
The County MP explained that school girls were finding challenges in accessing basic sanitary items - a move that saw some of them out of school.
She detailed that women reps were undertaking steps to address the shortages despite the financial challenges facing them women representatives.
According to the MP, the government is also yet to disburse the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) which is used by the MPs for similar interventions.
"I want to confirm that 30 county women reps have had a sitting with the Gender CS Aisha Jumwa and we had a discussion on the sanitary towels.
"As women reps, we have exhausted our personal finances to buy sanitary towels so that girls can go back to school," she stated.
On the other hand, she called on CS Jumwa and her Education Counterpart Ezekiel Machogu to explain why the sanitary towels were not available despite the Ksh940 million in Ruto's first budget.
She indicated that the situation at the grassroots was dire and could not wait any longer.
"In all honesty, we have to be told where is the Ksh940 million for sanitary towels. Periods are not something that girls can say that they can do away with It is not an option.
"They have periods every month and I want to urge members to take that matter seriously," she added.
As per the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, Ruto promised to have sanitary delivered to all schools for free. The government also promised to have the pads in all public washrooms in the country.
