A Nakuru member of county assembly has raised the alarm over the high rate of teen marriages in the area.
Nominated MCA Esther Mangere says the problem is rife in Kinangop, Kinamba, Mai Mahiu and Kongoni.
She was briefing the press in Nakuru on Friday where she pointed out that most of the girls are lured into marriage by young boys who are also teenagers, often times forcing them to drop out of school.
However, when arrested and arraigned in court, most girls defend their teen “husbands” arguing that they have a right to love their boyfriends.
The problem is also well felt in primary schools in the zones, where many more are trapped into marriages by young boys who have barely cleared their secondary education.
She cited that majority of the young boys who could not pursue further education have become a trap for the young girls seeking to study.
“These young boys are employed as casual labourers in butcheries, hotels and shops and they end up cheating our students that they can bring them out of poverty,” she said.
The leader blamed the high poverty level as the driving force behind these teen marriages.
“The girls in our schools walk around with tattered uniforms and have to tie pullovers around them to cover themselves. Anyone promising marriage is a life saver to them,” said Mangere.
The high rate of teen marriages has led to a crackdown among the rural areas and the slums, which are popular for the practice.