The rate at which young girls are getting pregnant is so alarming. Although this seems to be a common trend in Kilifi County, strict action needs to be taken for the sake of these young girls whose dreams are partly cut short after they get pregnant.
The bigger picture is that this is also a leading cause of high level of dependency and poverty in the county. When these girls get pregnant, the chances of them going back to school are close to the Zero line.
Last year, Kilifi County was been ranked third in a list of counties with high rate of early pregnancies in the Coast region.
The report prepared by the County Government of Kilifi showed that the County has 22% of girls between 15-19 years affected by the early pregnancy menace .
You wont know how bad the state is until you hear the perception of other people in regard to the county.
” If you have not got pregnant by 18 … and you are from Kilifi County, that is close to a miracle or a narrow escape kind of situations.”
Last week,reports had it that 15 secondary school girls who are from Kilifi county got pregnant, and this was blamed on disco matanga celebrations. This led to the ban of disco matangas in the county and youth who will be found in discos will risk arrest.
In my opinion blaming it on disco matanga could be covering up the many other factors that contribute to these cases and therefore important to address other factors with the same zeal .
With this move we hope that this action will bring change in the county.