Bungoma Women Rep Lauded For Inclusivity As Curtains Draw For Wambilianga Tournament

By Isabella Maua

Parents have been challenged to not only focus on teenage girls but also give special attention to children with disabilities since they are more vulnerable to gender-based violence.

Speaking during the grand finale of the Wambilianga Super Cup at Webuye Pan Paper Stadium on Saturday, Bungoma Women Representative Catherine Wambilianga lauded the special needs team for making it to the finals.

“I am more than impressed to see the resilience that our amputee teams have portrayed since we started this zero-tolerance GBV tournament in August this year,” noted Wambilianga.

The MP for Turbo, Janet Sitienei, acknowledged the efforts made by Wambilianga in ensuring inclusivity in the fight against GBV, calling upon youths to keep up the spirit of sportsmanship.

“I am glad to have seen my fellows with disabilities playing gracefully; a true articulation of disability is not inability; youth should also keep off drug and substance abuse as it plays a major role in gender-based violence,” she reiterated.

Siaya Women Representative Christine Ombaka cited that it is not only about games and sports but a lesson to take home with regards to the delicate lives of young boys and girls.

“Hon. Wambilianga has challenged us a great deal, and indeed when we go back to our home counties, we shall follow suit and bring more young boys, girls, women, and men on board,” noted Ombaka.

Roy Telewa, CEO of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), on his part acknowledged the efforts of Bungoma Women Representative in curbing teenage pregnancies and any form of GBV across the county.

“In NGAAF, we mainly focus on youth matters, women’s economic empowerment, and nurturing of talents. Our patron, Wambilianga, has been at the forefront of utilizing these funds in curbing teenage pregnancies and forced early marriages,” divulged Telewa.

According to a report presented by the International Journal of Innovation in April 2024, cultural and socioeconomic factors have massively contributed to the upsurge of teenage pregnancies, with 57 percent of girls aged between 15 and 19.

Out of them, 50 percent came from a poor background, and most of them lacked role modelling from their parents, who were either single or absent from their lives.

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Isabella Maua

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