Makueni County Woman Representative Rose Museo has expressed concern over the increasing cases of femicide, defilement and child abductions, calling on state actors to decisively deal with perpetrators.
Museo condemned the brutal killings and sexual violence against girls and women, expressing fears the worrying trend was getting out of hand leaving families helpless and traumatized
“This worrying trend has become a painful reality that continues to traumatize families across the country. This calls for a tougher legal action against the perpetrators,” said Museo when she launched National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) sanitary pads distribution at Muatini Primary School in Kibwezi Sub-county.
Museo further said cases where innocent children are abducted from schools, sexually assaulted and later murdered have become alarming and demanded swift intervention from security agencies and the government.
“We have witnessed innocent children being taken from school, hidden in forests or coffee plantations, defiled and later killed. Parents are left in pain and confusion. Those responsible for such heinous acts must face severe legal punishment,” she added.
The Legislator stressed that both girls and boys deserve protection from violence and abuse, adding that society must collectively safeguard children from all forms of cruelty.
She blamed some of the growing violence on toxic family environments, where children are exposed to constant domestic conflicts and violence.
“When parents constantly fight before their children, the children grow believing violence is normal in marriage and relationships. Parents have a responsibility to raise children through good examples,” she noted.
Museo urged parents to shield children from domestic disputes, warning that exposure to violence at a young age normalizes abusive behavior later in life.
She emphasized the need to strengthen mentorship and support systems for boys, calling on men and community leaders to champion issues affecting the boy child.
“Girls must be protected and empowered, but we must also listen to the issues affecting boys so that we raise responsible citizens for this country,” Museo posed.
The woman representative further highlighted the growing challenge many families face in accessing sanitary towels for school-going girls due to the high cost of living.
She observed that many parents are often forced to choose between buying food and sanitary towels, causing menstrual hygiene products to become a secondary priority despite their importance in keeping girls in school.
Museo revealed that the countywide sanitary towels initiative has so far distributed about 207,000 sanitary pads benefiting 1,237 schools, with every girl from Grade Four to Grade Nine set to receive three packets.
“NGAAF seeks to safeguard the dignity and education of girls by supplying sanitary towels to learners from grade four to nine across Makueni County,” she observed.
Museo said the current consignment costs approximately Sh13 million and assured schools that the supply programme would continue uninterrupted to ensure girls do not miss classes because of lack of sanitary towels.
“Teachers struggle when bright girls are forced to stay out of school simply because they lack sanitary towels. We want to ensure every girl learns with dignity,” Museo said.
She observed that women leaders serving in Parliament will continue to lobby the government to strengthen sanitary towel supply programmes to schools as part of efforts to support and retain girls in school.
by Patrick Nyakundi
