This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
Published on June 17, 2020, a recent surge in reported teen pregnancies in Machakos County has left many vulnerable girls at risk of dropping out of school. According to the latest statistics, over 4,000 school-going children have been impregnated since mid-March.
The data, released during the commemoration of the Day of the African Child, shows a parallel increase in teen pregnancies with coronavirus-related restrictions, including the closure of schools, being a major contributing factor. The virus has spread to over thirty counties.
Machakos Children's Officer Salome Muthama noted that the number of impregnated girls could be higher, citing cases recorded in all county hospitals. She emphasized that most of these cases are a result of defilement by close family members.
Salome Muthama expressed concern over the high number of cases, particularly those involving girls aged 14 years and below. 'How can a 12-year-old girl become a mother?' she posed.
She appealed for special court sittings to address and deal with these cases, citing the challenge of arraigning perpetrators due to a shortage of advocates. Machakos Senior Resident Magistrate Charles Ondieki echoed her sentiments, highlighting the need for more advocates to handle the cases.
The data comes at a time when Kenya has been listed among countries with the highest teen pregnancy rates, with 82 births per 1,000 births.
