County boss orders arrest of men who impregnated 6 KPSEA, KCPE candidates
Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding.
Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding has ordered the arrest of men who impregnated six KPSEA and KCPE exam candidates in the county.
Two of the girls are writing KPSEA exams while the rest are sitting for KCPE exams; one Form Four girl is pregnant while another gave birth recently.
While briefing on the progress of the ongoing exams, a tough-talking Mr Omoding said legal action would be taken against those responsible, describing the act as inhuman.
"This is unacceptable. How can you sleep with a Class Six girl?" he asked, warning that the government would not stand by and watch the lives of young girls being ruined.
He said parents would also be held accountable for failing to report the incidents, saying this made it difficult for the authorities to take action against the criminals responsible for the dropout cases among the girls.
"They (parents) should know that they too have a responsibility to protect the girls from abuse. The government will assist those affected to transition to secondary schools in line with the 100 per cent transition policy," he said.
No alternative dispute resolution
Mr Omoding also warned parents against extorting money from perpetrators to protect them from arrest, saying this denies justice to victims.
"Chiefs and their assistants have been informed that there should be no alternative dispute resolution in such cases," he added.
Teenage pregnancies among school-going girls remain a major obstacle to reversing the region's high illiteracy rate.
Girls are lured into having unprotected sex with young men in exchange for basic commodities such as sanitary towels, mostly due to poverty, while others fall victim to curiosity, experimentation or peer pressure.
Mr Omoding said exams at Iresaboru and Malka Mansa Primary Schools were delayed on Tuesday due to heavy rains that caused flooding in the areas.
"The exams were safely airlifted to the schools and successfully conducted," he said.
He urged the police officers manning the examination centres as well as the centre managers, invigilators and supervisors to maintain professionalism during the examinations, warning that ruthless action would be taken against anyone found guilty of examination malpractice.
