Men responsible for teenage pregnancies should face the full force of the law for causing emotional distress to the innocent girls before they complete their education.
The director of Education in Kiambu County Mrs.Victoria Mulili contends that relevant arms of the government should reconcile their policies to see to it that men who take advantage of the vulnerable teenage girls were punished accordingly to serve as an example to would be offenders.
She told KNA during an interview that it was unfortunate such men prey on innocent girls especially during this long holiday caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 which prompted the schools to close prematurely in line with the ministry of health efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic.
“It is not known when schools will re-open and since the girls are out of classrooms, their parents are busy elsewhere struggling to fend for them and cannot keep track of the ongoings leaving them exposed to these sex perverts” She regretted.
The director said girls were an endangered species and especially those from poor families as they could easily be lured by men in their neighbourhoods who use money or gifts that parents are unable to give them.
“Take care of your children during this long holiday so that they are not lured into sexual activities that may result into pregnancies. If they survive the pregnancy, they may end up contracting sexually transmitted diseases which may affect their future” she said.
She said society had been harsh to girls who got pregnant while still underage, accusing them of being immoral but forgetting to condemn the men who were responsible which was an oversight that should be looked into.
While appreciating the environment at schools, the director said it was in most cases the most condusive that cushions the girls from the men who prey on their innocence and could not allow them to achieve their dreams.
Article 53(1) (b) of the Constitution states that children are entitled to free and compulsory basic education which enables them to grow up and be able to make wise decisions pertaining to their sexuality. Anybody infringing on such rights should face the full force of the law, she stated.
The director regretted that the pandemic was causing undue pain to the girls as they could still not go to church, social clubs or tours that kept them busy thus cushioning them from temptations.
She called on the parents to be vigilant and take their right position so that the girls can remain safe until when schools will re-open. She singled out boda boda operators saying they always had money that they used to lure girls with, relatives who were trusted by the family and in some instances the elite who helped the family of the girls economically and ended up demanding to be intimate to the girls in exchange.
By Lydia Shiloya
