16 Year age of consent will thrive sex tourism in Kenya

Kenyans have overwhelmingly raised eyebrows following Court of Appeal's proposal on law change to lower the age of consent to 16 years on the Sexual Act. A bench of three judges, Daniel Musinga, Roselyn Nambuye and Patrick Kiage early this week ruled out that it was high time for the country to amend the Sexual Offenses Act arguing that tens of hundreds of young men convicted on defilement have continuously suffered in the jaws of long jail terms due to the strict laws protecting teenage girls. 

The three judges said that some cases have witnessed teenage girls willing to indulge into sexual activities at the same time the law pinning down male counterparts involved in the acts.

As far the law will create a relieve to the perpetrators of the defilement offenses, the other face of the aftermaths of lowering sex age will haunt the country with thunder. As little as 16 years, a girl is still innocent, unexposed, in early school life and unable to sustain self. Should the proposal go through then, we shall be exposing our innocent girls to a den of lions ready to prey on them. Despite rising cases of defilement, the law has at some point curbed some offenses, interested perpetrators have had fear to go for young girls knowing that the law will haunt them.

High poverty index is just among one of the cases pulling young girls into sexual acts, men with rich pockets tend to go innocent girls to quench their sex thirsts. By lowering sex age to 16, we shall be putting our girls to danger.

Communities living around Tourist catchment areas, restaurants among other social places will risk losing young girls into sexual acts. Older men prefer sleeping with young girls, tourists will easily lure such girls with gifts in exchange of sex. Because the perpetrators will be covered by the laws, no one will be able to protect the lives of young girls whose future should begin after school. Early sexual acts speed up the habit among teenagers harboring them from concentrating on studies.

Defilement cases can be addressed provided that the current law is adhered and enforced by relevant people. Parents ought to instill good morals among teenagers with the support of the community. Despite the current technology which has exposed teenagers to adult programmes, parents, schools among other stakeholders should closely work together to curb such programmes from being exposed to young people. Proper parenthood will minimize such offenses. Our interest should be how we should protect our girls who undergo defilement but not how to protect people perpetrating such offenses.

The current law is suitable and personally I don’t feel there is a problem for men who are said to be languishing in jails. That is not the case, none of us knows what such girls go through; they drop from schools, become early mothers, some end up being contracted with HIV/AIDS among other sexual related diseases, majority of them end up in menial jobs opening doors to frustrations and persisting poverty. I stand to be corrected.