Police, governor worried over child sexual exploitation

By RENSON MNYAMWEZI and JAMES OMORO

Taita-Taveta, Homa Bay Counties: Police in Taita-Taveta County have raised alarm over increased cases of sexual exploitation of minors.

Area Police Commandant Richard Bitonga said in the past two weeks, the region has so far reported a total of 11 cases of child abuse, an issue that is threatening the girl-child education in the region.

He said cases of rape, defilement, incest and sodomy had reached alarming levels and frantic efforts should be made to address the vices.

“We are perturbed by the rising sexual offences cases, and defilement leads the list. Sexual exploitation among minors has become a major challenge in the region. We do not know why old men are targeting minors to meet their sexual desires,” said Mr Bitonga.

Speaking to The Standard yesterday, the officer said school going children were the worst hit by the cases in the region. Noting that Wundanyi and Voi are leading, Bitonga called on relevant stakeholders to join hands in the fight against the vice.

“Police cannot handle the fight against the cases alone. Our work is to arrest and prosecute. Other stakeholders should join hands in finding a lasting solution to the problem,” he added.

Early pregnancy

Meanwhile, Homa Bay County government has ordered a crackdown on foreign fishermen working along Lake Victoria beaches in Mbita district to help curb cases of teenage pregnancies in the region.

Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata said the number of girls dropping out of school due to early pregnancies in Mbita Sub County was worrying.

He asked chiefs and the police to help the county government identify and arrest fishermen suspected of impregnating several schoolgirls in the county.

Mr Orata said he was shocked to learn the population of girls in upper primary classes drops by more than half yearly due to early pregnancies and marriages.

Fishermen working in local beaches were accused by the deputy governor for allegedly impregnating four girls in one of the area schools.

Orata was speaking at Uya Primary School in Rusinga Island where he opened new classrooms built by a Non-Governmental Organisation, One kid One World, in conjunction with local leaders at a cost of Sh10 million.

He also called for the arrest of parents colluding with sex pests to cover up defilement and early pregnancy cases. “I want to warn sex pests in this area that the law will take its course if they are found.”