Embu panty debate an embarrassment to mothers, clergy say

Embu panty debate an embarrassment to mothers, clergy say

The Embu panty debate has taken a new twist as clergy waded in, condemning a county official for alluding that most girls in the rural area walk without innerwear.

According to Bishop Samuel Nginye (Redeemed Gospel Church of Mt Kenya South), the remarks by the Culture, Children and Social Services County Executive Dr. Joan Mwende were unfortunate.

“She embarrassed mothers from Embu and made it seem like they don’t know how to take care for their daughters,” he said.

Speaking in Embu Hotel on Friday, the Bishop further added that the CEC’s sentiments could be detrimental to girls and women from the county.

According to him, women in the county should demand an apology from Dr. Mwende who is behind the Embu panty debate.

The clergy expressed their disappointment saying that despite making the remarks a month ago, no local women leaders have lodged a complaint against her.

They wondered whether the women in Embu and their leaders supported the remarks by Dr. Mwende.

Nginye urged the CEC to withdraw her remarks and apologize.

“Even though I am not a woman, I reject her sentiments because as a father, I know that mothers in Embu do regularly buy undergarments for their daughters because they know it’s a basic necessity,” he added.

The Bishop however criticised a Ksh.3million program that the Embu County Government has launched to provide girls in public schools with inner wear and sanitary pads.

He termed it as wastage of public funds as it is a project that has already been taken up by the national government through the Women Reps.

The church leader noted that and there is no need of duplicating the project in Embu County.

In June, while presenting his budget proposal for her department, Dr. Mwende said thousands of girls in remote areas of Embu suffer from low self-esteem due to lack of panties.

According to her, asking for undergarments is seen as a taboo in the Embu culture.

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Embu panty Joan Mwende

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