The outgoing Nyamira County Commissioner, Shufaa Omar, has expressed concern over the rising cases of child defilement, teenage pregnancies, assaults, and killings in the county, urging residents to embrace love, unity, and moral values to foster peace and development.
Speaking on Monday, May 18, at Getare Centre in Manga Sub-county, Omar said that during her tenure she had been deeply troubled by the increasing social vices, including revenge killings linked to land disputes. She attributed the trend to a breakdown in social values and lack of compassion among residents.
The county commissioner called on all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, religious leaders, and security agencies, to work together in addressing the challenges facing the community.
Omar noted that child defilement and teenage pregnancies continue to have devastating effects on both education and public health. She said many survivors are forced to interrupt or completely abandon their education due to trauma, stigma, early pregnancies, and related health complications.
“The emotional and physical distress experienced by survivors negatively affects their concentration and academic performance, often leading to school dropout,” she said.
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She further observed that the vice exposes victims to serious health risks, including physical injuries, sexually transmitted infections, unsafe pregnancies, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
According to Omar, such cases also weaken public confidence in schools and local institutions, especially when perpetrators are not held accountable.
“When communities fail to address these issues decisively, parents become reluctant to send their children to school, and trust in leadership and institutions continue to erode,” she said.
Omar emphasized that tackling child defilement and other social vices is critical to safeguarding children’s welfare, improving education outcomes, and promoting social cohesion and sustainable development in Nyamira County.
By Enock Okong’o
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