The Kenya Women Senators Association (KEWOSA) has called for urgent investigations into reports that 36 learners at Bakisa Secondary School in Webuye, Bungoma County, have become pregnant. The senators condemned the reported cases, stressing the need for authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the pregnancies and hold those responsible accountable where wrongdoing is established.
Speaking during a visit to Malindi Women’s Prison in Kilifi County, the lawmakers, led by Nominated Senator Catherine Muma, said the matter should not be treated as normal or ignored. Muma said KEWOSA was ready to work with the Ministry of Interior and other relevant agencies to ensure investigations are conducted without delay. She also raised concern over what she described as the normalisation of pregnancies among school-going children, arguing that the circumstances surrounding such cases must be properly investigated.
Authorities Vow to Pursue Those Responsible
Webuye East Assistant County Commissioner Emmanuel Kenga has also pledged to pursue individuals suspected of having sexual relations with minors in the area. Kenga said authorities had compiled information on the reported cases and would take action against those found responsible. He noted that school-going children could not be held responsible for the pregnancies and suggested that adults were responsible for a significant proportion of the cases.
The administrator said authorities would use the available information to identify suspected perpetrators and ensure appropriate action is taken.
School Children’s Education Affected
The reported pregnancies have also raised concerns about the impact on the affected learners’ education and welfare. School management has indicated that the situation has disrupted the education and well-being of the learners involved, highlighting the broader challenges faced by children who become pregnant while still in school.
The incident has renewed calls for stronger measures to protect minors from sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as faster investigations whenever allegations involving school-going children are reported. Authorities are expected to continue investigating the reported cases and determine the circumstances surrounding each case before any individual is held criminally responsible.
