Garissa human rights activist Zedi Mbadi has lamented that there still exists sex pests in the county who roam freely and at will, posing a great danger to young girls and women alike.
Mbadi adds that the most affected are school girls who are either defiled or married off early, and most of them have been denied basic education.
She however attributes this to both parents and teachers who fail to report these incidences to the relevant authority, adding that some parents support the move by accepting dowry.
“Greed is the main factor contributing to early marriages and sex pests. Parents are marrying off their daughters at tender ages in order to receive dowry,” says Mbadi.
“Most parents do not have the resources to sue sex pests and some would prefer to marry off their girls to these men to avoid disgrace,” she adds.
She has called upon the county government to take up the fight of these minors.
“Most of the parents cannot stand for their children as a result of the community and economic status, and as a result, a lot of sex pests are out there jeopardising dreams of innocent girls and roaming freely. The county government should take responsibility and establish effective response units to help curb the issue of abuse,” she added.