A young girl in Kwale who was set to join secondary school education has been rescued from forced marriage.
The 16-year-old girl who sat for the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) was allegedly forced to get married to a 35-year-old man by her mother and siblings.
It was reported that the man defiled the minor repeatedly and subjected her to torture to an extent of denying her food two good days.
The minor was rescued after the government directive to carry out a mop-up in the county to ensure a 100 per cent transition policy from primary to secondary school. The said girl scored 216 marks in 2020 KCPE and she had secured bursary funding to pursue her studies.
The girl reported that she was ready to join secondary school but her mother and some siblings forcefully married her off to the 35-year-old man.
The girls also narrated that the man defiled her repeatedly while her hands and legs were tied on the bed.
Further, she narrated that the man tried to strangle her leaving marks on her kneck.
The Lungalunga Children’s Officer Mr Patropah Ondieki with a lot of concern blamed parents as being a stumbling block to the achievement of a 100 per cent transition policy and the well being of their siblings.
He added that some parents want their daughters to get married or work as a house helps to bar them from advancing with education.
Mr Ondieki urged the authority to take a serious action for the man and the mother so as they can serve as example to the residents of Kwale county.
Kwale county is on spot for being among the poor performing counties in the campaign for 100 per cent transition policy. Forty (40) per cent of the 2020 KCPE students from the county have not joined secondary schools to date.
Education CS professor George Magoha also noted that the local community has contributed to the low transition rates.
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