Bungoma County leaders have united behind a raft of measures to curb a surge in teenage pregnancies and HIV infections.
The resolutions reached at a meeting convened by Governor Kenneth Lusaka, focused on education, parental responsibility and legal reforms.
"I am utterly shattered by the ballooning numbers," declared Lusaka, citing a recent report showing 26,149 teens in Bungoma were mothers and 1,679 girls aged 10-24 years HIV-positive as of June 2023.
Leaders at the meeting included county officials, parents, religious leaders, teachers and area MPs including Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Wamboka Wanami (Bumula) and Martin Wanyonyi (Webuye East).
To combat the trend, stakeholders agreed to enhance guidance and counselling programmes in schools, encourage chaplaincy and mentorship, boost school security and feeding programmes.
The leaders further agreed to support menstrual hygiene, establish rescue centres and counselling clinics and conduct mentorship programmes for both boys and girls.
They advocated for stricter punishment for culpable teachers as well.
Lusaka emphasised reviewing laws and policies on pregnancy tests in schools.
He linked the spike to declining academic performance, evident in recent national exam results.
The county government has already implemented various interventions. Lusaka however said the new measures signal a renewed commitment to protecting Bungoma's teens.
Lusaka further clarified that he was misquoted by a section of the media which reported that he said teens who get pregnant should be banned from school.
The governor reportedly said a law barring their resumption would go a long way in ensuring teenage girls are “careful and responsible”.
“I said that during our times, it was a taboo to get pregnant. And if you got pregnant, you even feared going back to school,” he explained.
Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa condemned Lusaka for allegedly suggesting that pregnant teens should be barred from continuing with their studies.
In a statement, Jumwa said policies that discriminate against girls because of pregnancy or marriage violate international and regional human rights law and the Kenyan Constitution 2010.
She said that the privilege of staying in school gives these girls a chance to get a good career, teaches them to be responsible and keeps them from being isolated and doing things that could potentially be harmful to them and the baby.