 Public Service and Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa has lifted the ban on disco matanga in Kilifi County. The ban was put in place by the former Cabinet Secretary for Interior Fred Matiang’i in 2019 after over 17000 cases of teenage pregnancy cases were reported in the county alluding to the night vigils.
While lifting the ban, Jumwa ordered the police to arrest minors who will be found in the disco matangas.
“Tulisema hii disco matanga ni kitega uchumi, na mimi sisemi disco matanga zisiendelee, in fact ziendelee. Lakini polisi mfanye kazi yenyu. Mtoto chini ya miaka 18 akionekana kwa disco matanga, tunashika ili mzazi wake afike tumweke ndani,” said the CS amid jubilation.
- In 2018, the then Interior CS Fred Matiang’i – while imposing the ban on disco matanga – argued that it had contributed to the increase in early pregnancies and school dropouts in Kilifi County, while also harbouring criminals.
- That year, Kilifi County had recorded over 13,000 early pregnancies. By January 2019, the county had recorded over 17,500 cases of teen pregnancies.
- Disco planners – whose businesses had been negatively impacted by the ban – had come together and brought on board the two levels of governments for an amicable solution.
The CS was speaking at Water ground in Kilifi town where she launched the 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence.
