Migori County Commissioner David Gitonga attributes the surge in cases of defilement, teenage pregnancies, and early marriage in Migori County to parents’ failure to guide their children.
Commissioner Gitonga emphasized that the lack of moral guidance from parents has also contributed to an increase in incidents of violence, drug abuse, and deviant behavior among the youth in recent years.
Addressing a public Baraza in Muhuru Bay, Nyatike South sub-county, Gitonga expressed concern over the rising challenges of defilement and teenage pregnancies. He pointed out that many parents have not taken the responsibility of instilling good morals and a sense of fear of God in their children.
Gitonga highlighted the distressing trend of teenagers wandering in the dark late at night instead of being at home with their parents.
“During the just concluded Christmas festivities, parents decided to leave their children to roam around and engage in immoral behaviour that are detrimental to their lives,” he said.
The administrator issued a warning, emphasizing that during odd hours, children become vulnerable to defilers, and some may engage in behaviors that result in early pregnancies and teenage motherhood.
Migori continues to be among the leading counties with a high prevalence of defilement and teen pregnancies, with poverty, negligence, and drug/substance abuse identified as causative factors.
Commissioner Gitonga urged parents and guardians to actively care for their children to decrease instances of defilement and gender-based violence prevalent in the area. He emphasized the responsibility of security agencies to address residents’ security concerns, act on complaints, and educate them about various government policies.
