Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s wife, Ida Odinga, has strongly condemned older men who prey on young girls, leading to early pregnancies and disrupting their education.
Speaking on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at an International Women’s Day event at Tom Mboya University, Homa Bay County, Ida emphasized the importance of giving young girls a chance to grow, study, and shape their futures without being burdened by early motherhood.
She expressed concern over the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies, some involving girls as young as 13 years old.
“The most important thing for us as mothers, especially for our daughters, is to ensure they grow strong, study well, and avoid what we call early pregnancies because we have seen young girls as little as 13 years old becoming mothers,” she stated.
She lamented over the disturbing sight of young mothers who appear to be carrying their younger siblings when in fact they are carrying their own children.
“As mothers, we must make an effort to teach and guide them to abandon such behaviours,” she urged.
Ida called on women to play an active role in educating young girls on the dangers of early pregnancies and guiding them toward responsible choices.
She, however, noted that in many cases, the culprits impregnating young girls were older men, not their agemates.
“Sometimes you find these girls are impregnated by older men, not their peers. I would like to tell these men with such behaviour; Please step back and give these young girls the opportunity to grow and study,” she stated.
Taking a firm legal stance, she reminded the public that engaging in any sexual relationship with a minor is a crime, warning perpetrators that the law is clear on the matter.
“Anybody who marries a girl who is less than 21 years old is committing defilement. If you engage with a child under 18, you are defiling that child. Even if you claim she agreed, there is no such thing as consent. You are defiling that child, and that is a crime,” she asserted.
At the event, Ida was accompanied by First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Finnish Ambassador to Kenya Pirkka Tapiola, and United Nations Women Representative to Kenya Antonia Sodonon.