Wetang’ula urges parents to be vigilant to prevent teenage pregnancies

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has issued a call to parents, urging them to be vigilant in addressing the surge of teenage pregnancies in Bungoma County and the broader country.

A recent report from the Kenya Health Information Systems highlighted a concerning increase in adolescent pregnancies, with 110,821 cases recorded among individuals aged 10 to 19 in the first five months of 2023.

Wetang’ula’s concern

Of these cases, 6,110 were reported among adolescents aged 10 to 14, while another 104,711 involved individuals aged 15 to 19.

This figure is nearly half of what was recorded in 2022 (260,734), with previous years reporting 316,187 in 2021 and 331,549 in 2020.

Analyzing the regional distribution, Meru County had the highest proportion of adolescent pregnancies (26%) between the ages of 10-19 from January to May, followed by Narok (25%), Tana River (24%), Samburu (24%), West Pokot (24%), Homa Bay, and Kisii (22%). Kitui, Bungoma, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Tharak Nithi, Nandi, and Busia had 21% each.

Expressing his concern about the surge, Wetang’ula emphasized the critical role of parents in addressing this issue.

Wetang’ula’s message

He called on parents to be proactive in educating, guiding, and safeguarding their daughters.

“The alarming surge in teenage pregnancies within Bungoma, Kilifi, and Busia is concerning. I emphasized on the role of parents and urged for their proactive involvement in educating, guiding, and safeguarding the girl child. Let parents be vigilant in preventing the surge of teenage pregnancies in our county,” Weta stated.

In addition to addressing teenage pregnancies, Wetang’ula urged road users to exercise caution during the festive period to minimize avoidable accidents.

“In this festive period, I implore all road users to exercise utmost caution, to minimize the occurrence of avoidable and tragic accidents.

“As we approach the dawn of the new year, let sobriety reign so that people can live in peace, unity, and harmony among our people,” Wetang’ula concluded.