Parents urged to protect children from sex pests

Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga was speaking when he presided over a fundraiser for improving the infrastructure of God Ber Senior School in Kabondo Kasipul Constituency. Magwanga  said parents must now be wary of people who take advantage of girls to have their carnal knowledge.[James Omoro, Standard]

Parents in Homa Bay County have been urged to take care of their children against sex pests and radicalisation into hooliganism during the festive season.

Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga said parents must be wary of people who take advantage of girls for carnal knowledge.

Speaking while presiding over a fundraiser to improve infrastructure at God Ber Senior School in Kabondo Kasipul Constituency, Magwanga said “sex pests” should not be given any chance.

“The festive season is a tempting period. I urge parents to be on the lookout for the movements of their daughters to cushion them from those who abuse them sexually,” Magwanga said.

He also warned men who are fond of sexually abusing girls to stop, saying defilement can ruin the lives of girls by impeding their chances of acquiring education.

“Apart from teenage pregnancies, defilement leads to infection of our girls with sexually transmitted infections. This makes it difficult for the girls to prosper in life by pursuing education and achieving their goals,” Magwanga said.

The Deputy Governor said protecting girls’ sexual rights would enable them to become productive people in the future.

Magwanga urged parents not to neglect boys while focusing on girls alone.

He argued that some people ruin the lives of boys by polluting their minds and pushing them into violent extremism.

“Let parents not focus on protecting girls alone. Similar protection must be extended to boys too,” Magwanga said.

The Deputy Governor said protecting boys would also protect girls.

“If we neglect our boys, they are likely to engage in risky sex, which may infect them with sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS. These diseases will eventually affect our girls. Therefore, protecting boys will also protect our girls,” Magwanga said.

Magwanga urged residents to support learning institutions to boost education in the area.

He argued that funds allocated to schools by the national government may not be sufficient to provide all the facilities required in learning institutions.

“I urge our people to support our learning institutions by equipping them to enable our children to go to school. Education is the only gift we can give our children to enable us to have a productive generation in the future,” Magwanga said.