Girls rescued from abusive unions

By Job Weru and Antony Gitonga

Laikipia, Isiolo and Nakuru counties

Police and children rights activists rescued three children allegedly subjected to early abusive marriages and two others sexually abused.

On Wednesday, a girl, 15, boarded a lorry at Ol’Donyiro market in Isiolo after being clobbered by a husband said to be more than 25 years older.

Children’s rights activists Josephine Kulea and Hellen Gathogo, the National Co-ordinator of the Kenya chapter of One More Day for Children (OMDC) said the girl had been in the marriage for five years.

"Her parents are from Kirimon area in Laikipia North District, and she was married off to the resident of Ol’Donyiro," said Ms Kulea.

The girl, who was a Standard Two at Kirimon Primary School before she was married, moved the activists to tears when she narrated how her suitor recently attacked her.

"She was clobbered with a rungu on the head and collapsed. She was rescued by neighbours, who directed her to Nanyuki town," said Ms Kulea.

Two other girls were rescued from marriages after they escaped to a nearby Il’Polei Primary School.

One had been married for four months while the other seven.

"They claimed their suitors battered them almost daily for failing to bear children," said Kulea.

All three were below 16 years old.

Ms Gathogo said OMDC would sponsor the children to return to school. "They are young, the best thing we can do is remove them from abusive marriages," said Gathogo.

Laikipia OCPD James Kithuka said investigation was underway.

"Let every rogue parent or men looking for wives understand that we will not take chances on protecting the minors’ rights," said Mr Kithuka.

In Naivasha, two teenagers were separately sexually abused, with one contracting HIV.

The other, a Class Seven pupil, is three months pregnant following the abuse in Mirera area.

Naivasha DC Hellen Kiilu was left in tears after the minor infected with HIV narrated how her father raped her for years. "This is beastly," she said.

In the same village, a minor defiled by a neighbour is now three months pregnant.

Councillor Esther Njeri, who rescued the girl, 15, said the neighbour lured the teenager to his house after giving her Sh100. "Cases of child abuse in Naivasha are on the increase., and we thank the DC for working with us in fighting this vice," she said.