Stakeholders in Bungoma County have come together to work jointly to address the high teenage pregnancies in the region.
The organizations are USAID, Kenya- Finland Bilateral Program, Better World, Kenya Red cross, Rural Women Peace Link, Office of the Woman Representative, and Kibabii University.
The collaboration comes days after 54 girls in St. Thomas Aquinas Chesikaki Secondary School in Mt Elgon tested positive for pregnancy.
In the same light, Forum for African Women Educationalist (FAWE) has also launched project ‘Imarisha Msichana’ in 20 counties to help address the rising teenage pregnancies.
Speaking earlier in My Elgon, Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka said the menace calls for concerted efforts to get a long lasting solution.
“This is an issue that is facing us and we need concerted efforts to address it. It is not very interesting when we are highlighted in that manner as we have been featured negatively when it comes to GBV,” Lusaka said.
He called on all stakeholders to be candid and let everybody take responsibility, noting that the county has the capacity to fight the vice if everybody plays their role.
In addition, he said the Mt Elgon stakeholders’ forum is just a beginning of the conversation, saying similar meetings will be held in all the sub-counties and in all areas that are affected.
Deputy Governor (DG) Jenipher Mbatiany said she was moved by the St. Thomas Aquinas situation, also revealing that Ministry of Health (MoH) reports indicate that Bungoma is leading in new HIV/AIDS infections.
“Bungoma is on a very wrong track because it is leading in teenage pregnancy, new HIV/AIDS infections, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV),” she said.
The DG asked the stakeholders to open talks and address the girls on the importance of education, saying that boys should not be left out of the conversation.
By Tony Wafula
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