Kisumu: Kisumu County has recorded a significant drop in teenage pregnancies over the past five years, signaling the success of coordinated interventions by government agencies, schools, and civil society organizations.

According to Kenya News Agency, data from the Ministry of Health collected during first-time visits to Antenatal Clinics (ANC) shows that cases of teenage pregnancy among girls aged 10-19 have declined by 27.4 per cent between 2020 and 2024. This decline outpaces the national average, with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reporting only a 4.8 per cent drop in the same age bracket during 2024, and just 14.4 per cent among the more vulnerable 10-14-year-old girls.

The Kisumu data categorizes teenage pregnancies into two age groups: 10-14 years and 15-19 years. Among girls aged 10-14, cases initially rose by 26.1 per cent between 2020 and 2021 but have since dropped sharply by 54.2 per cent. In 2021, the county reported 21,314 pregnancies in this age group and by 2024, the figure had fallen to 9,773. Teen pregnancies among older adolescents (15-19 years) also declined consistently over the same period from 314,534 in 2020 to 231,024 in 2024, a drop of 26.6 per cent. Combined, the two age groups registered a reduction from 331,462 cases in 2020 to 240,797 in 2024.

Kisumu East Sub-county recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies in 2024, with 781 cases among girls aged 15-19, followed closely by Kisumu Central (774), Muhoroni (744), and Nyakach (691). The lowest figures came from Nyando (537) and Seme (551). In the younger age bracket (10-14 years), Kisumu East again led with 26 reported cases, while Nyando recorded just seven.

While these numbers mark progress, experts caution that ANC-based data may not capture the full extent of the crisis. According to Africa Check, some pregnancies may go unreported when girls do not visit clinics or are recorded more than once due to multiple check-ups. Nonetheless, the downward trend remains notable particularly for a county that, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, experienced deep vulnerability among adolescents.

A 2021 report by the Presidential Policy and Strategic Unit found that 72 per cent of adolescents in Kisumu skipped meals daily, and only 54 per cent had access to sanitary pads, a situation that drove many into risky relationships and transactional sex. Kisumu County Police Commander Hillary Toroitich says law enforcement agencies have taken a proactive role in investigating cases of teenage pregnancy. However, he noted the challenge of delayed justice due to the legal requirement of conducting DNA tests after childbirth.

‘We handle these matters with the seriousness they deserve because it’s about protecting the future of children. Unfortunately, we sometimes encounter cases where families falsely accuse innocent people to cover up incest or internal conflicts,’ he said. To address these challenges, the police, he said, have partnered with community policing teams and school administrators to enhance real-time reporting. ‘We have formed WhatsApp networks to share incidents as they happen and also established gender desks at all police stations to ensure victims and families can report cases discreetly,’ he said.

At the school level, Lions Secondary School Principal, Eudia Oyier, said her team acts immediately upon learning a student is pregnant. ‘We summon the parent for a discussion and begin counselling the girl while advising her to attend ANC clinics. We also involve boys because often, they are part of the equation,’ she said. Oyier linked many cases to poverty and desperation. ‘I had a case of a girl walking daily from Otonglo. A boda boda rider started giving her free rides. One thing led to another, and she became pregnant,’ she recounted.

Joseph Ogao, a resident of Manyatta, admitted that his failure to openly talk about sex with his daughter contributed to her pregnancy while she was in Form Two. ‘She lived with her aunt, and I assumed everything was fine. I only found out she was expectant when she returned home for the holidays,’ he said. Beyond families and schools, the county government has tapped into technology and NGO partnerships to provide youth-friendly services. Organizations such as KMET and TIKO Africa are financing health facilities and reimbursing service providers who offer family planning and counselling to teenagers.

TIKO Africa’s app-based referral system also rewards peers for directing young people to care. Some health centres, like Airport Dispensary, offer free Wi-Fi to attract teens and use the opportunity to offer HIV testing and reproductive health services. Tom Morige, who oversees data and medical services in the county, said teenage pregnancy must be treated as a form of sexual and gender-based violence. ‘Impregnating a child is SGBV. Sometimes it involves children or men with mental health conditions, which further complicates the matter,’ he said.

Morige noted that Kisumu has nine youth-friendly centres, including those in Ahero, Pap Onditi, Nyahera and Rabuor, offering peer-led education and psychosocial support. Still, he warned that gaps remain. ‘We face shortages of condoms and essential supplies, delayed payments to providers, and some parents refusing to allow their children to access contraception,’ he said. ‘We also haven’t done enough sensitization on sexual health.’ Lawyer Stephen Rajuh emphasized that sex with a minor violates several Kenyan laws, including the Sexual Offences Act (2006), Children’s Act (2022), and Article 53 of the Constitution.

‘Having sex with a child below 11 attracts a life sentence. Between 12 and 15 years, it’s at least 20 years, and for 16 to 18, it’s a minimum of 15 years,’ he explained. Raju acknowledged the legal grey area in cases of peer defilement. ‘When a minor impregnates another minor, the law still applies. But courts often divert such cases to rehabilitation or juvenile centres, not adult prison,’ he said. As Kisumu celebrates the steady decline in teenage pregnancies, the call for vigilance remains. This battle is not just about numbers, but about safeguarding the futures of thousands of girls whose dreams, dignity, and rights hang in the balance.