The National statistics show that Homa Bay County is in the second position in teenage pregnancies with 38 per cent after Narok County.
Consequently, Homa Bay government has raised a red flag on increased teen pregnancies and announced legal measures on police officers who were ‘responsible for the bad habit’.
During the County Educational Day at Asumbi National School, Deputy Governor (DG), Hamilton Orata said that the high percentage has in one way been contributed to by some security officers in the County.
According to Orata, the police officers were the hindrance to their efforts to fight the vice of teenage pregnancy.
He argued that the officers were actively involved as some of them have become suspects by personally getting involved in defilement matters.
The DG claimed that they were going to smoke out officers that defiled minors and they were taking stock with the County Children’s Offices on defilement cases for legal action.
He added that they have agreed on collaborative efforts with the office of the County Commissioner to fight sexual molestations among school going children quoting that very few cases had been taken to court on the matter.
Commenting on the matter, the County Executive of Education, Beatrice Asiago said that the Cabinet was planning to reintroduce to the court sexually related cases which involved child abuse to ensure perpetrators are prosecuted.
“Parents whose children have been sexually abused should report the cases to relevant offices, including mine to ensure sex pests don’t go unpunished,” Asiago said.
The County Director of Education (CDE), Fredrick Kiiru expressed concerns that teen pregnancies were becoming an obstacle for the government to achieve the 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary schools.
The DG was accompanied by the County Executive Members, Beatrice Asyago (Education), David Okeyo (Trade), Roselyn Odhiambo (Lands) and County Director of Education, Fredric Kiiru.
By Bwabi Okola/Davis Langat
