By Our Reporter
Security agencies in Narok County have banned overnight prayer meetings popularly known as “kesha” in a bid to tackle the underage pregnancy cases and rising school dropout rates among girls in the area.
Area County Commissioner George Natembeya issued a stern warning against parents letting their children to attend keshas, saying the purported night prayers were providing ground for immorality.
“We have had information that some parents let their girls attend even week-long seminars and when the schools re-open they are found to be pregnant,” noted Natembeya.
The Commissioner,who spoke in Narok during the issuance of National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) bursaries to under-privileged learners, said the rate of underage pregnancies in the county had reached worrying levels.
Mr Natembeya has threatened to sack chiefs and their assistants found to be abetting the vices. “If teachers, parents and chiefs who are with the children are aloof in tackling this menace then the war against these cases where Narok leads nationally with 46 percent underage pregnancies might never be won,” warned Natembeya.
Area Woman Rep Soipan Tuya echoed the commissioner’s sentiments saying the hindrance to ending challenges facing girl child in the county such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early marriage and pregnancies was the parents and chiefs.
She also opposed the move by parents to allow their children to attend prayer seminars unattended.
