Officials in Kilifi have announced that 229 girls were defiled or sexually abused  last year.

This is according to a report by County Commissioner Joseph Keter who also says this figure includes 121 girls  who dropped from school due to pregnancy last year.

He says most of the girls engaged in sex or were raped during night funeral parties and discos.

Mr Keter gave the figures during Madaraka Day celebrations in Kilifi town and announced that many of abused girls come from Bahari division which recorded 67 cases followed by Kaloleni (59) and Malindi (41).

ban on discos

"Cases of rape, defilement and other sexual assault cases are on the rise," said Keter adding: "I have today directed a ban on discos at night in the village as a measure to curb cases of sexual harassment of school girls and women," he said.

County Chairman for Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation Witness Tsuma said cases of underage girls getting sexually harassed and later get pregnant is disaster.

Meanwhile, police officers and Kenya Defence Forces in Malindi yesterday intercepted a bus at Gongoni area and recovered 124 rolls of bhang.

Two suspected drug peddlers were arrested and are being held at the Malindi police station.

Malindi OCPD Matawa Muchangi said the war against drug menace has been intensified.

He said a Tahmeed bus from Mombasa to Lamu was stopped for and are to be arraigned in court today.