After Amina declared number of girls pregnant during the national exams sittings as national crisis, MPs started investigating increased cases of teenage pregnancies. The National Assembly on Thursday directed the House Education Committee to establish the cause of the problem.
On the debate,Mutula has taken to twitter to explain that his sentiments were misquoted by Linus Kaikai who yesterday tweeted the senators say. He maintains his statement was clear that culprits of teenage pregnancies should be punished.
Linus qouted me statement and many appear to think it is ME who did it ! Kitavi Mutua of Nation compounded the issue by misrepresenting that I have two girls . My statement is clear punish culprits of teenage pregnancies @KitaviM
— Sen Mutula KilonzoJR (@SenMutula) November 10, 2018
‘SHAME ON YOU if you have impregnated a school girl. May you rot in jail!’ Makueni Senator @SenMutula
— Linus Kaikai (@LinusKaikai) November 9, 2018
The probe has been triggered by statistics that put the county with highest pregnancy prevalence rate at 40 per cent.
Several Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education candidates delivered before or during the national exams, while others sat the tests while pregnant. The girls who were reported to be pregnant were aged between 13 and 18.
Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga said the committee should investigate the issue urgently and propose steps to contain the problem. “Teenage pregnancy among school-going girls is worrying to say the least. It is a case of babies having babies with diverse effects not only on the individual but also on the community as a whole. Are we too busy for our children?” Ms Wanga asked.
The Kenya Demographic Health Survey report of 2014 shows that a majority of girls were being forced to drop out of school after getting pregnant.
The report further shows that early child bearing is highest in Nyanza counties, at 22 per cent followed by Rift Valley at 21.2 per cent while Coast is at 21 per cent.
Central Kenya has 10 per cent of girls affected and 12.2 per cent of girls in North Eastern region are affected.
Do you think punishing culprits will reduce teenage pregnancies?