President Uhuru warns ‘sponsors’ against preying on young girls

President Uhuru Kenyatta during the world Aids day at Nakuru Athletics Club. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has discouraged cross-generational relationships involving elderly men and underage girls.

The president said most STDs, including HIV, contracted by the young girls are, in most cases, passed on by the “sugar daddies”.

The president made the remarks in Nakuru, where he led the country in marking World Aids Day.

Uhuru said married or unmarried elderly men “should be ashamed of themselves” for luring young girls into intimate relationships.

Terming such affairs as “manipulative”, the Head of State said: “Before you date an underage girl, ask yourself whether your actions are dignified. Men, date women of your age!”

The president said young girls “need to be protected”, because, as children, they are not in a position to make informed decisions on relationships.

“Children are not to blame [for unplanned pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections]. We, the older men, are responsible,” said Kenyatta.

“Let us allow children to lead normal lives. Children are our future, and when the future is protected, we protect ourselves too,” he said during his speech at the Nakuru Athletics Club.

Uhuru asked women to play key roles in discouraging men from being involved in illegal cross-generational relationships.

“If your husband has a penchant for young girls, one day trick him into accompanying you to the market. When at the trading centre, announce to the whole world that he has a liking for young girls. The resultant embarrassment will stop him from continuing with the bad habit,” he said.

The Head of State said Kenya had made significant progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the last eight years.

In his speech, Uhuru said AIDS-related deaths in the country had reduced by 67 per cent, from 58,456 in 2013 to 19,486 in 2021.

The president further revealed that the annual HIV infections had reduced from 101,488 in 2013 to 32,027 in 2021, a 68.4 per cent decrease.

Uhuru assured the State of his commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS, directing the ministries of Health and the National Treasury to expedite the procurement of HIV prevention commodities, including ARVs, testing kits, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).