By Michael Oduor
Concerns have been raised by religious leaders, following the increased use of drugs and cases of sodomization among young, school going children in Voi, Taita Taveta County.
Speaking in a special religious meeting spearheaded by HAKI Africa Taita Taveta, the chairperson of the interfaith committee in the region, Reverend David Zowe, House of Prayer Voi, condemned the delinquent behavior emerging in the region.
He said that the root cause of the behavior should be identified and the solutions offered before it extends to remote areas and destroying the youths.
“I condemn the unwelcoming behavior of sodomization that is emerging in this region, and more so in Voi town and its environs. This act should be stopped by identifying the root cause and dealing with it properly to avoid losing our young energetic boys and girls in such demonic deeds,” said Rev. Zowe.
He also noted that a number of youths who have been the victims are school going children, whose ages were estimated to range from about 14 to 20 years.
It was stated that the youths are used in drug trafficking, while others get lured to use foodstuffs containing the drugs before they are used after being unconscious.
According to pastor Lilian Mwakamba, Happy church Kaloleni, youths are engaging in these acts due to what is termed as poverty and lack of jobs, forcing them to look for money in an unlawful way.
“These youths who take part in these shameful acts do not do it because they like doing it, a number of them do it because of their status and lack of jobs,” said Mwakamba.
Pastor Mwakamba, also added that as religious leaders who interact with the youths in the community level, it’s high time that they should speak in one voice aiming at stopping the satanic behavior that is arising in the region.
“We should stand up as religious leaders who meet with these youths in the community and find better ways to stop the activity in the region,” added Mwakamba.
Noted\among the effects paused by engaging in the act is stigmatization, which affects the youths even when in school.
Addressing the congregants, Pastor Benstone Kiseu, JMC church Sofia, religious leaders should come out and boldly speak about the matter to the relevant authorities, as a way of curbing the spread of the behavior in the region.
He pointed out that the act was unwelcoming and should be treated as a special case to ensure that youths and children going to school don’t go astray.
“We should come out and speak to the relevant authorities concerning this issue and action be taken to ensure that this vice is curbed. Our children are getting lost in this act and solutions should be found so that we don’t lose our youths to the act,” reiterated Kiseu.
Standing with the religious leaders in Voi, HAKI Africa, Taita Taveta representative Mr. Alexander Mbela, confirmed that as an institution, they are ready to support the move in ensuring that vices in the community are eradicated and seeing youths in the region going to school and leading a better life away from participating in an activity that may ruin their life.
“As HAKI Africa, we are ready to support your moves by playing our part as an organization in ensuring that the rights of these children and youths are met and that the school going children get to school and learn instead of participating in drug abuse and doing this an unusual practice that will ruin their lives,” said Mbela.
