By Joab Apollo
In scenes reminiscent of the Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah, sexual offences in Kenya have taken a bizarre turn. Men, including pastors, now have the audacity to not just defiled their daughters, but also impregnate them in the East African country.
On 14th January, 2021, a pastor based in Ndia, Kirinyaga County, Central Kenya, was sentenced to 140 years in jail for defiling and impregnating his 16-year old daughter, an incident that shocked Kenyans. The pastor who had gone into hiding prior to his arrest, admitted to committing the abomination and sought forgiveness, claiming “the devil is a liar”. His other daughter, a 14-year old, also claimed the father had been having sex with her but they were afraid of reporting to their mother for fear of being punished.
On 15th April, 2021, detectives from the Directorate of the Criminal Investigation Department (DCI) arrested a middle aged man in Nakuru town for defiling his 6-year old daughter in Megogo village, Kisii County, Western Kenya.
And as if that was not enough, a 50-year old man from Embu West, Embu County, Central Kenya, was caught red handed defiling his 13-year old daughter in his house. Neighbours whose curiosities were aroused by distress screams from the house broke into the house and pounced on him with crude weapons before he was rescued by local administrators. He is recuperating in hospital awaiting arraignment in court.
Kenya is rapidly becoming accustomed to such heart-breaking incidences if the number of cases being unreported due to cultural repercussions are anything to go by. But it’s what is driving fathers to sleep with their biological daughters, a culturally abhorrent act in all Kenyan tribes, that’s a center of debate in the country.
Moral decadence occasioned by technological advancement has been majorly blamed for the ugly cases of incest.
Barry Mwaura, a resident of Kawangware in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital City, says that latter day Kenyan parents have been corrupted morally by ponographic sites.
“I know of many parents who are addicted to porn sites that show people having sex with their daughters and relatives,” he said
“These people then experiment with their children forgetting pornography is business, not a moral concept.”
James Kiiru, a Gikuyu elder links it to generational curses.
“The rain started beating us the day we abandoned our traditional practises for Western lifestyles we don’t even understand,” he firmly says.
“This generation is reaping curses from their ancestors unhappy with the current state of affairs. We must cleanse ourselves.” He added
There are those who feel that the leniency by the justice system in Kenya is to blame.
“Our investigators and the police can easily be compromised. They don’t care about the victims, but the money.” Says Irene Akinyi, a social justice crusader at the expansive Langas slum, Eldoret.
Even though Section 20 (1) of Sexual Offences Act of the Kenyan constitution enshrines a jail term of not less than 10 years for perpetrators of incest, the rich always have a fielday, thanks to the provision for bail.