Officials decry rise of rape cases in Kiambu

Kiambu County Deputy Governor Joyce Ngugi has decried the rising rape cases in the devolved unit, saying urgent action is needed to curb the vice.

Ms Ngugi spoke in Thika over the weekend during the launch of the Salama Rescue Centre. The centre is run by the Girl Child Network (GCN).

“Rape and defilement cases are on the rise in Kiambu County and this is a wakeup call for us to do the right thing and address the situation. Police officers should arrest sexual predators and take them to court for the offence of rape and defilement,” said the deputy governor.

She said the county government had set aside a budget for the construction of a rescue centre for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) survivors.

“Although I am not in a position to reveal how much the project will cost, I can confirm plans are at an advanced stage for the construction of a rescue centre subject to approval by the county assembly. As soon as the county government identifies an appropriate location for the centre, we will table the budget for approval on the floor of the Assembly,” she said.

Boy child

GCN is a non governmental organisation that advocates for girls' education and prevention of harmful cultural practices like female genital mutilation and early marriages. The NGO also advocates for empowerment of the boy child.

The Salama centre will host about 20 SGBV survivors on average and is also expected to serve as a mentorship hub for them.

A report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the national GBV hotline 1195 received 810 cases by September 29, 2020, compared to 646 cases in August, a 25 per cent increase.

Data from an April 2020 study on Kenyans’ Covid-19 knowledge, attitudes, practices and needs carried out by the Ministry of Health and the Population Council showed that 39 per cent of women and 32 per cent of men were experiencing tension in their homes as a result of changed lifestyle and economic status brought about by the pandemic.  

Vulnerable learners

GCN Executive Director Mercy Musomi said the organisation has so far supported the assessment and placement of 23, 819 learners with disabilities in schools.

"In the last 25 years of existence as GCN, we have supported the placement of 13,610 girls and 10,299 boys with disabilities in schools. We have also supported the enrolment, transition and progression of 568,397 vulnerable learners, including 311,228 girls and 257,169 boys. Out of these, 92,473 girls and 103,559 boys have completed their university education,” she said.

GCN was recently awarded the 2020 UNESCO Prize for Girls and Women Education in recognition of Our Right to Learn - Reaching the Unreached Project. The Project is supported by the Education for All program. 

Ms Musomi urged all 47 county governments to engage with counties to set up more rescue centres countrywide.

"The constitution provides for each county to set up a rescue centre or safe house for SGBV survivors. So far, only Makueni County has one. It is our appeal to the remaining devolved units to quickly set up similar centres for the protection, counseling support, life skills training and empowerment of our people," she said.

Rescue centres

She said she would continue to engage with counties for the GCN to set up more rescue centres countrywide.

“If we get a receptive county like Kiambu, we will set up more rescue centres,” she said.

The centre, which costs around Sh120,000 to run each month, is an initiative of the GCN Board of Management and is supported by well-wishers and friends of Girl Child Network. 

Githurai MCA and Kiambu Deputy Majority Leader Ms Margaret Mwago said the problem was also rife in Githurai where she resides, adding that there was need for a similar centre in the area. The MCA said girls here were at risk of being lured into sexual activity by adults due to poverty and peer pressure.

In Githurai, girls from poor backgrounds struggle to survive. It is a challenge for them to get basic necessities such as food, clothes and sanitary pads, which places them at risk of being tricked into offering sex in return for those items, she said. 

Closure of schools

Ms Wanjira expressed her concern over the high number of teenage pregnancies in the area, especially during the extended closure of schools over the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Last week, we had a program that reached out to 100 girls that are SGBV survivors. Eight of them are in primary school and pregnant. We need a rescue centre in the area as part of the efforts to combat the menace and protect survivors from the risk of continued abuse,” said the MCA.

Deputy County Commissioner Mbugua Mathioya, appealed to parents to engage their children in conversations on responsible sexuality, adding that it would help them be empowered to resist the influence of deviant behaviour made popular by social media.

“There are foreign influences being peddled on social media that have left some of our youths dressing and acting as if they belong to the opposite gender. We need to educate our children so that they do not fall prey to deviant sexual and social trends,” said Mr Mathioya.