This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
On July 15, 2020, a 12-year-old girl was rescued by authorities in Narok after being married off to two men in a span of one month.
The girl, who aspires to be a doctor, was forcefully married off to a 51-year-old man and later to a 35-year-old man.
According to the girl, her father had planned to marry her off after schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She fled to a relative's house but was caught by her father and taken to the first husband.
She was to be the second wife, but she deserted the marriage after two weeks. She then eloped with a 35-year-old man, who was married, and was later rescued by authorities.
Area Chief Rimoine Maiyone and Narok Peace Ambassador Joshua Kaputa got wind of the girl's predicament and acted fast. They trailed her for three days and managed to rescue her.
The chief said police were looking for the father of the girl and the two 'husbands' who have since gone into hiding. The administrator said the girl's father was yet to receive dowry from the men for fear of being arrested.
The chief added that for the last three months, at least 26 girls had been married off after being impregnated. He also mentioned that they were looking for two other pupils who had been married off.
Narok is one of the counties leading in number of teenage pregnancy cases, according to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS).
