Leaders in Murang’a County have strongly condemned the rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) targeting women and children, as over 41,300 schoolgirls received sanitary towels under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) programme.
The leaders, led by Alice Wahome, Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, spoke during the launch of the sanitary towels’ distribution exercise at Kimorori Grounds in Kenol, Murang’a County.
The programme will see 41,300 girls in public primary and junior secondary schools benefit from the distribution of 165,000 packets of sanitary towels. A total of 511 public primary schools across the county are set to benefit from the initiative, which aims to end period poverty and promote menstrual hygiene.
While lauding the initiative, the leaders expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of defilement and violence against girls across the country.
“It is very unfortunate that we continue to lose young girls to brutality through defilement, and in some recent cases, some have even been murdered,” said CS Wahome. She noted that gender-based violence and defilement not only hinder societal development but also deny girls the opportunity to live dignified lives.
“We want our girls to grow up in a safe society. We must unite and weed out perpetrators who, in most cases, are within the extended family,” she added. The CS urged mothers and women to take seriously their role as the first guardians of their children, warning that many defilement cases are perpetrated by close relatives, including uncles, brothers, and grandparents.
“As a mother, you must guard your girl child fiercely,” she emphasized. Wahome also cautioned parents about the rising cases of abuse affecting boys, urging families to protect all children from sexual exploitation.
“Through these sanitary towels programme, the government is committed to broader efforts to keep girls in school, safeguard their dignity, and create a safer environment for all children in the country,” she said.
Murang’a County Woman Representative Betty Maina warned parents against settling defilement cases out of court, noting that the law is clear and offenders will face severe consequences. She cited a recent case in which a five-year-old girl was defiled and murdered, with the perpetrator sentenced to death.
“I want to warn the men that sexual offenses in this country can earn you life imprisonment. Restrain yourselves and protect these girls as they are your daughters and sisters,” Maina said. She also encouraged school-going girls to focus on education and urged society to end period shaming and stigmatization of girls during menstruation.
Murang’a South Deputy County Commissioner Bernard Odino reaffirmed the commitment of security agencies to combat GBV.
“We will arrest you and you will go through the criminal justice system without shortcuts. The law is very clear—anyone below 18 years is a child, and the law will deal firmly with offenders,” he warned.
The leaders reiterated the need for parents to report cases of abuse to authorities instead of resolving them at the family level, stressing that early reporting helps protect victims and ensures justice is served.
by Florence Kinyua
