Women Senators rally Busia leaders to act on alarming cases of HIV, teen pregnancy
Led by nominated Senator Veronica Maina, KEWOSA spearheaded a highly impactful and participatory campaign in Busia County yesterday
The Kenya Women Senators Association (KEWOSA) has launched a campaign for support and mobilisation of local leader in helping curb the raising number of HIV infections, teenage pregnancies and Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Led by nominated Senator Veronica Maina, KEWOSA spearheaded a highly impactful and participatory campaign in Busia County yesterday.
Held during the Senate Mashinani initiative, the KEWOSA senators split into two teams to maximize their reach.
They began by engaging directly with students at St. James Kwang’amor Secondary School and St. James Nasewa School before convening a crucial, multi-sectoral dialogue with national and county officials, as well as influential community thought leaders.
Confronting the crisis with alarming data, Maina immediately underscored the urgency of the situation by citing stark statistics.
This comes as Busia recorded 135 new HIV infections among adolescents (10–19) in 2024, an increase from 120 in 2019, with an estimated 2,400 adolescents currently living with HIV.
The crisis extends to reproductive health, with 65,540 adolescent pregnancies recorded between 2016 and 2024—representing 28 per cent of all first ANC visits.
Furthermore, cases of SGBV among adolescents have risen sharply, jumping from 66 in 2016 to 480 in 2024, with 171 pregnancies tragically linked to defilement.
“These numbers paint a worrying picture,” She emphasized, also pointing out that 69.3 per cent of Busia residents live below the poverty line, a factor that significantly amplifies the risks of exploitation and school dropouts.
To provide immediate, tangible support, KEWOSA distributed menstrual hygiene kits to girls and boxer shorts to boys.
This proactive step helps to promote dignity and health, ultimately reducing absenteeism and empowering students to stay in school and prioritize their education.
Maina also used the platform to remind learners of their strong legal protections, specifically referencing the Sexual Offences Act (2006), which criminalises all sexual activity with minors and carries severe penalties, including up to life imprisonment.
