This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
As the government continues to enforce the closure of schools to contain the spread of Covid-19, a disturbing trend has emerged in Nakuru West Sub-County. A 13-year-old girl, Carol, from Kaptembwo, Nakuru Town West, is four months pregnant after being defiled by a neighbour.
According to Carol, the 35-year-old neighbour lured her with bread and eventually defiled her at his house. Carol's mother initially suspected malaria when she started vomiting, but tests at Nairobi Women's Hospital revealed that the 13-year-old girl was pregnant.
Carol's case is not an isolated incident. In the same estate, Evah, 14, is also pregnant after being defiled by a neighbour who had been stalking her through her mother's phone. Another 13-year-old girl, Mercy, claims she was defiled by her 30-year-old neighbour who is on the run.
These cases are part of the rising statistics of teen pregnancies and defilement cases in Nakuru County. According to Nakuru County children's coordinator, Alice Wanyonyi, 513 girls aged between 13 and 17 were defiled in Rongai sub-county alone between January and May. At least 25 girls are pregnant in Kuresoi sub-county.
As the lockdown continues, concerns are growing about the vulnerability of girls to sex pests. The government has been urged to take measures to protect girls and prevent such cases from escalating.
