Kajiado County has recorded the highest number of pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 14, this is according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
The recently released Economic Survey 2026 shows that Kajiado reported 936 pregnancies in this age group, followed by Garissa County with 725 cases, Homa Bay with 648, Narok with 601, and Turkana with 600.
Other counties in the top ten included Meru (556), Mandera (535), Nairobi City (483), Kitui (413), and West Pokot (400).
The survey highlights a worrying national trend, whereby adolescent pregnancies among girls aged 10–19 rose by 2.2% to 235,900 in 2025, with pregnancies in the 10–14 age group spiking 14.6%, indicating a particularly alarming rise among very young girls.
In Nairobi, although the county ranked eighth in the 10–14 age bracket with 483 pregnancies, it recorded the highest overall adolescent pregnancies (10–19 years) at 14,291 cases. The number of pregnancies among girls aged 10–14 more than doubled from 234 cases in 2024 to 483 in 2025, highlighting growing urban child protection challenges.
Kakamega County, second in overall adolescent pregnancies, reported 205 cases among girls aged 10–14 and 11,630 among those aged 15–19. Narok, ranked third nationally, recorded 601 pregnancies among girls aged 10–14 and 10,333 among those aged 15–19.
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Experts warn that child pregnancies contribute to school dropouts, poor maternal health outcomes, and cycles of poverty, particularly in vulnerable communities.
Counties such as Bungoma, Migori, Homa Bay, and Kajiado continue to experience persistently high numbers, reflecting disparities in healthcare access and child protection mechanisms.
The report emphasizes the need for stronger enforcement of child protection laws, particularly against sexual exploitation and defilement.
In Kajiado and Garissa education stakeholders state that cultural practices that involve resolving cases through elders rather than formal judicial processes have been linked to rising cases. Additionally, corruption within law enforcement, particularly the police, is cited as a factor, with perpetrators sometimes avoiding arrest through bribery.
By Obegi Malack
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