A grim surge in teenage pregnancies, HIV infections, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has jolted Busia County into the national spotlight, prompting an urgent intervention by the Kenya Women Senators Association (KEWOSA).
Led by Senator Veronica Maina, KEWOSA stormed Busia on Monday, October 6, under the Senate Mashinani initiative, launching a sweeping campaign to confront what leaders described as a “youth crisis demanding urgent, collective action.”
“These numbers paint a worrying picture,” Senator Maina warned. “We cannot stand by as our young people’s futures are stolen by poverty, ignorance, and exploitation.”
According to alarming data presented by KEWOSA, Busia recorded 65,540 teen pregnancies between 2016 and 2024, representing 28 percent of all first antenatal care visits. New HIV infections among adolescents aged 10–19 also rose from 120 in 2019 to 135 in 2024, with about 2,400 young people currently living with HIV.
Equally troubling, SGBV cases among adolescents skyrocketed from 66 in 2016 to 480 in 2024, including 171 pregnancies linked to defilement. Maina noted that the county’s 69.3 percent poverty rate continues to drive school dropouts, early marriages, and sexual exploitation.
In a show of hands-on leadership, the senators split into two teams to engage directly with students at St. James Kwang’amor and St. James Nasewa secondary schools. They held candid discussions on reproductive health, personal safety, and legal protection—reinforcing the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act (2006), which criminalises sexual activity with minors and prescribes stiff penalties including life imprisonment.
To promote dignity and school attendance, KEWOSA distributed menstrual hygiene kits to girls and boxer shorts to boys.
Later in the day, a multi-sectoral dialogue convened at PCEA Church in Busia Town drew together county and national officials, law enforcement, the Judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, teenage mothers, religious leaders, and boda boda associations.
The high-stakes discussions culminated in a unanimous call for a coordinated, multi-sectoral response—anchored on community empowerment, improved access to reproductive health education, and stronger enforcement of child protection laws.
As the KEWOSA delegation wrapped up its visit, Senator Maina reaffirmed the group’s commitment:
“This is not just about statistics. It’s about lives—our daughters and sons. We must act together, now.”
Photo: Kenya Women Senators Association (KEWOSA) led by Senator Veronica Maina in Busia on October 6, 2025. (Senate)
Leave a Reply