NEWS
Kenyan Women Senators Demand Probe After 36 Students Become Pregnant at Bungoma Secondary School
Kenyan senators have called for an urgent investigation into the reported pregnancies of 36 students at a government secondary school in Bungoma County, raising fresh concerns over the safety, welfare and protection of school-going girls.
The development came to public attention after a 10-member delegation of the Kenya Women Senators Association (KEWOSA), led by Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma, visited the affected area to assess the circumstances surrounding the reported pregnancies.
The senators expressed concern over the scale of the incident, particularly because the students are minors who are expected to be protected from sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse while pursuing their education.
Mumma said the situation raises serious questions about the environment in which the girls were living and schooling, as well as the responsibility of adults and authorities to protect children from individuals who may seek to exploit their vulnerability.
“When you find out that 36 girls in one school have been impregnated, it raises serious questions about moral decay in society.
“It is very sad when you find out that grown-up men are taking advantage of young girls who are yet to complete school,” Mumma said.
The senator’s comments have intensified calls for authorities to establish how the pregnancies occurred, identify those responsible where criminal conduct is established, and determine whether there were failures in the systems designed to safeguard the students.
The incident has also renewed concerns about teenage pregnancy and child protection in Kenya, particularly the impact such cases can have on girls’ education, health, personal development and future opportunities.
The senators are expected to push for accountability and stronger protective measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in schools.
The reported case has placed renewed attention on the need for schools, parents, communities and government agencies to strengthen mechanisms for detecting and responding to sexual abuse involving minors, while ensuring that affected students receive appropriate protection and support.