Nandi: Uproar by leaders over rising cases of teenage pregnancies.

Women leaders in Nandi County have raised an uproar over rising cases of teenage pregnancies in the region.

Female ward representatives said the number of school going girls impregnated when schools were closed due to Covid-19 was alarming and signalled the need to declare the issue a county crisis.

Led by kilibwoni member county assembly Cynthia Muge and her counterpart nominated MCA Terry Maiyo said the situation should be addressed as the country’s crisis.

“Over 10,000 school going girls in Nandi county fell pregnant in the last 12 months this translate to 800 girls month and about 30 girls per day. The report is shocking and also sickening,” said muge.

Muge said the early pregnancies also is dangerous since it can lead to complications during child birth adding that teenagers face high risk of low child birth weight and long term social consequences since they are unmarried and luckily to face stigma.

“Early pregnancies and child bearing often leads to girls drop out and it jeopardizes the girls future to being unemployed shattering their dreams,” she said.

Muge commended on ministry of education for accepting the affected girls to go back to school. Urging parents to assist them as they study.

“In Nandi county a girl child has an opportunity to dream big, if a girl child in Nandi was not given an opportunity I would not be a representative of Kilivwani,” she said.

She urged the community to ensure that girls are well taken care of and push for their dreams.

She said the perpetuators are within and the government should ensure they face the law.