Members of the National Assembly have passed the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks to promote public awareness on sexual offences and protect the right to education of sexual violence victims, including teenage mothers.
The Bill proposes amendments to the Sexual Offences Act, 2006, and introduces a new provision requiring the Cabinet Secretary responsible for matters relating to legal affairs to promote public awareness on sexual offences through nationwide education and information campaigns.
Under the proposed law, the Cabinet Secretary would also be required to consult with the Cabinet Secretary responsible for education to establish programmes aimed at safeguarding, protecting and promoting the right to education of victims of sexual offences, including victims of teenage pregnancy.
Teenage Mothers and Sexual Offences
According to the Memorandum of Objects and Reasons, the principal objective of the Bill is to provide for the promotion of national public awareness of sexual offences.
The Bill further mandates the Cabinet Secretary responsible for education to establish programmes to safeguard, protect and promote the right to education of victims of sexual offences, including victims of teenage pregnancies.
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The proposed legislation also seeks to align the Sexual Offences Act with the Constitution by replacing references to “Minister” with “Cabinet Secretary” in various sections of the law.
Clause Two of the Bill proposes a new definition of the Cabinet Secretary in line with the Constitution. Clauses Three to Six and Clause Eight replace the term “Minister” with “Cabinet Secretary” in various provisions of the Act.
The changes affect sections dealing with matters such as the transmission of HIV or other life-threatening sexually transmitted diseases, treatment orders for victims and offenders, evidence of a medical or forensic nature, public awareness provisions and other administrative functions under the Act.
A key amendment is the introduction of Section 46A, which outlines new responsibilities for the Cabinet Secretary.
Main parts of the section require the ministry to conduct nationwide education and information campaigns on sexual offences and to work with the education ministry to support continued access to education for victims.
The Bill states that its enactment will not delegate legislative powers, limit fundamental rights and freedoms, affect the functions of county governments, or occasion additional expenditure of public funds.
The legislation was sponsored by Nominated MP Doris Donya Aburi.
Teenage Pregnancy by the Numbers
According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 15 per cent of girls aged 15-19 had ever been pregnant, compared to 18 per cent in 2014.
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The survey found that Samburu recorded the highest rate at 50 per cent, followed by West Pokot at 36 per cent, Marsabit at 29 per cent and Narok at 28 per cent.
Nyeri and Nyandarua recorded the lowest rates at 5 per cent each.
The survey further found that 21 per cent of girls aged 15-19 in the lowest wealth category had ever been pregnant, compared to 8 per cent in the highest wealth category.
Among girls aged 15-19 with no education, about four in ten had ever been pregnant, compared to 5 per cent of those with education beyond secondary school.
The Kenya Economic Survey 2026 reported 235,938 teenage pregnancies in 2025, up from 224,333 in 2024.
Among girls aged 10-14, 11,605 pregnancies were recorded in 2025, compared to 11,126 in 2024.
According to the Kenya Vital Statistics Report 2024, 125,019 live births were registered to mothers aged 19 and below in 2024.
The report stated that 1,486 of those births were to girls under the age of 15, while 123,533 were to mothers aged 15-19.
According to UNFPA Kenya, more than 260,000 adolescent pregnancies occur annually in Kenya.
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