MP refutes claims of child marriage in Kwale County

MP refutes claims of child marriage in Kwale County

Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori has refuted claims that child marriages and pregnancies are on the rise in Kwale County and Msambweni constituency.

Speaking in Gazi during a ceremony to honour last year’s top KCPE candidates, Dori said that Msambweni parents are visionary and the practice existed before civilisation.

“If there is an isolated case where one man has impregnated a young girl it should not be generalised to imply the whole constituency,” he said.

He warned Senator Agnes Zani and Nominated MP Zulekha Hassan against politicising the matter, saying that the culture is practiced everywhere in the country and they should not paint Kwale as the worst.

“Why can’t they talk about the good work which we are doing in Msambweni, the issue of pregnancy did not start today where were they all those years?” he posed.

His sentiments seem to be in response to the launch of a programme to sensitise Kwale residents against early marriages and teen pregnancies that was started by women leaders in the county led by Senator Agnes Zani and nominated MP Zulekha Hassan.

Suleiman further directed that the 70-year-old man who was reported to have married and impregnated a 13-year-old girl in Fihoni be arrested and taken to court to face charges.

“If there is evidence, I am giving a directive to the OCS to apprehend the man and take him to court,” he stressed.

The girl who is said to be a class three pupil has since dropped out of school.

Msambweni Deputy County Commissioner Justus Maina revealed that pregnancy cases have drastically gone down for the past three years.

“For the past three years cases of young girls being impregnated have gone down and this is an indication that parents have taken seriously their role to guide their children,” he clarified.

On his part, Kinondo Location chief Ali Riga urged parents to work together with the leaders and report any such cases before they get out of hand.

Ali urged parents to discourage children from attending wedding and taarab discos where they are said to engage in immoral behaviour.

Speaking at the same event Msambweni sub-County Education Officer Mohammed Simba asked parents to instil discipline in their children if they are to expect good performance in schools.

Tags:

KWALE Msambweni Suleiman Dori agnes zani Ali Riga Justus Maina Zulekha Hassan

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