Residents of Logetei village in Baragoi, Samburu North Sub‑County, have been cautioned against subjecting their daughters to child marriages as part of efforts to end all forms of Gender‑Based Violence (GBV) in Samburu County.
The warning was issued during the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender‑Based Violence held in Samburu north sub-county under the theme: End Digital violence Against all Women and Girls.
Speaking at the event, Nachola Division Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Charles Musoi noted that child marriage remains rampant among the Turkana community living in Samburu North and it has resulted to low school enrollment and retention rates.
He noted that many girls are not enrolled in school but are instead given grazing duties before a suitable suitor pays the dowry price and whisks her away.
“You must stop prioritising livestock over your children and enroll all of them in school since education is a constitutional right for every child. Let us do away with things that lag us behind as pastoralist communities,” he told the residents.
At the same time, the ACC commended the community for achieving zero Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) rates despite being in the heart of Samburu County.
ACC Musoi called on community members to become ambassadors of anti‑GBV, stressing the need to avoid wife-battering and for couples to respect each other.
On his part, Martin Mwongera from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) highlighted that the law is strict on child marriage and warned that dire consequences await those arrested for facilitating or engaging in such practices.
Timothy Ekai, a resident, thanked the organisers for choosing Logeteti village for the launch of the 16 days of activism noting that the engagements focusing on children’s rights has helped remove ignorance of many parents rather than waiting for direct confrontation with the law.
He pointed out that the deep‑rooted culture of child marriage requires consistent dialogue to bring it to an end, citing poverty and drought‑related economic hardships as drivers.
“When a man wants to restock his livestock after a harsh drought he marries off his daughters. That is why children are not enrolled in school because it’s easier to marry off a child who is not recognised by the government,” he said.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence is a global campaign that runs from November 25 to December 10 calling on individuals, communities and institutions to unite in action to end all forms of violence against women and girls.
By Robert Githu
