This archive report was first published on 29 June 2019.
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa has sparked debate with her proposal to arrest teenage girls who fall pregnant, along with their lovers, as a means to curb teenage pregnancies. This suggestion was made on Friday, June 29, 2019, during a public event in Kilifi county.
Jumwa's argument is that it is unfair to only target the boy child in cases of teenage pregnancies, and instead, society should start laying blame on both children. She emphasized that the law should apply equally to both parties involved, stating, “Sheria ni msumeno unakata mbele na nyuna. Wewe msichana ukikubali, wewe pamoja na mvulana nyote mutiwe ndani.”
Kenyans have given varied reactions to Jumwa's proposal. Some, like Benjamin Kasiwa, expressed agreement with her, while others, such as Peter Musau, criticized the idea, saying it shows that women can be their own enemies. Wanjiru Grace suggested that Jumwa's advisory committee needs reshuffling, and instead proposed focusing on combating HIV and AIDS.
Others, like Stephen Olonde, argued that the focus should be on teaching the use of contraceptives in primary and high school to protect teenagers from pregnancy. Omori India stated that maybe, just maybe, there's some sense in Jumwa's proposal, albeit coming from her.
