Baringo deputy governor (DG) Felix Maiyo has raised an alarm over rise in Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases across the seven sub-counties.
Speaking during the ongoing End the Triple Threat campaign at Kenya Medical Training College grounds in Kabarnet, Maiyo noted with concern that the practice which is deep rooted in some communities in the region has been normalized to a point the perpetrators are being let go scot free hence continuing with the behaviour.
He stated that members of the community have a tendency of not reporting such cases but instead opting to use kangaroo courts at the expense of the victims who suffer in silence.
“Acts of gender based violence must not be condoned in the society and should be brought out to the relevant authorities so that the victims get justice,” he said.
The DG who cited sexual abuse amongst children, physical harm and female genital mutilation as the notable forms of GBV in the county called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders in curbing the menace which he said could cause serious psychological harm to victims.
“This year alone, about 3, 581 pregnancies have so far been reported among teenagers aged 10-19 years. One would just imagine the trend as we start the long December holidays if we don’t make deliberate efforts to reverse this trend,” he stated.
Maiyo who also acknowledged that there is an increase in GBV cases from last year’s 122 to 227, assured residents that the county administration would team up with other organizations in implementing sensitization programmes that are geared towards a gender violence free society.
On HIV/Aids, the DG said that the county has an estimated 8,170 people living with HIV with 7,668 being adults while 502 were children below 14 years.
“The county has a prevalence rate of 1.8 percent with annual new infections of 236 persons. It is sad to note that according to the Kenya HIV estimates 2021, 38 percent of the new infections is among adolescents and young people aged between 15 and 24 years,” Maiyo stated.
Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) infection rate, he added, stands at 11.2 percent compared to the national MTCT rate of 9.7 percent, a situation he attributed to poor health seeking behaviour especially the antenatal care clinic attendance.
The DG urged all those who do not know the HIV status to utilize the wide arrays of differentiated testing services available in the county to get tested to be able access treatment and care at the earliest time possible.
Loyamorok MCA Maria Losile who spoke in a separate function noted that even though cases of FGM were still being reported in the county, the number is drastically dropping due to sustained advocacy efforts by churches with the help of chiefs and village elders which has turned the perception of the outlawed practice on young girls.
Losile said that the move has seen areas like Chesirimiyon, Loruk, Nginyang and Chemeril in Tiaty West forgo the traditional practice which used to recruit girls at a very tender age of less than 14 years.
She said young children in the area have been put in schools until they finish their studies before the girls decide to get married.
The MCA stated that men were also being advised to marry mature girls who have not undergone the cut since they suffered less complications during their time of delivery.
