The Bungoma County Government has intensified efforts to curb gender-based violence (GBV) and rising cases of teenage pregnancy following the operationalization of the Ndengelwa GBV Centre, a facility expected to strengthen survivor support services and improve emergency response across the county.

Speaking during the handover, Governor Kenneth Lusaka described GBV as a barbaric practice that continues to destroy families, traumatize victims, and rob communities of dignity. He said the county administration would adopt a zero-tolerance approach against perpetrators while strengthening protection systems for women and children.

“Gender-based violence destroys families, steals dignity, and traumatizes victims. As leaders and stakeholders, we cannot remain silent,” said Lusaka.

The governor noted that for years, survivors in Bungoma were forced to seek specialized services in counties such as Kisumu, Vihiga, and Nairobi due to the lack of a fully operational local support centre. He said the new facility will now enable survivors to access medical, psychosocial, and legal support within the critical 72-hour response period.

The launch comes amid growing concern over the county’s history of high GBV prevalence. A previous survey conducted in 2022 ranked Bungoma among the leading counties in cases of physical and sexual violence, with reports indicating that 62 per cent of women had experienced physical violence, while 30 per cent reported sexual violence.

Despite the grim statistics, county officials say recent interventions are beginning to bear fruit, particularly in the fight against teenage pregnancy. According to the county’s adolescent health coordinator, Milsane Kiplai, cases among girls aged between 10 and 15 years have significantly dropped from 23,000 in 2018 to 10,400 in 2025.

Kiplai attributed the decline to increased awareness campaigns, school retention initiatives, and community engagement programs targeting both parents and adolescents.

“Our focus is to ensure girls remain in school and are protected from exploitation and abuse. The progress is encouraging, but there is still a lot of work ahead,” she said.

However, health officials warned that intimate partner violence remains a major challenge, with the Ministry of Health reporting that 70 per cent of GBV cases recorded in 2025 involved intimate partners.

Janet Khisa from the Ministry of Health said the county and its partners are now shifting focus toward prevention at the household and community level to address the root causes of violence before cases escalate.

“We are working to ensure information and support services reach communities early enough because prevention remains the most effective approach,” said Khisa.

Director of Special Programs Caren Wanyonyi lauded the collaboration between county departments, health stakeholders, and community organizations, saying the partnership would strengthen coordinated responses to violence and child protection issues.

She emphasized that the multi-sectoral approach is critical in dismantling systemic barriers that have for years undermined the safety and well-being of women and children in the county.

Data presented during the event further showed that Bungoma County recorded 9,089 GBV cases involving girls aged between 10 and 17 years between 2016 and July 2023, nearly half of the 18,510 cases reported nationally during the same period.

County leaders have now vowed to shift the conversation from merely documenting cases to enforcing protection mechanisms, prosecuting offenders, and restoring dignity to survivors.

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