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| Kenya First Lady wants stiffer penalties against sex offenders
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Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) -
Kenya's First Lady Lucy Kibaki wants parliament to revi
ew laws on rape with a view to
providing stiffer penalties for sex offenders.
Saying the current laws have not stemmed the tide of rape cases in the country,
she expressed outrage at the increasing
number of children falling prey to sex pests working as teachers.
She criticised the Kenya National Union of Teachers for remaining silent over th
e rising number of children defiled by their
teachers.
In a news dispatch from the Presidential Press Service (PPS) Monday, Lucy called
for a swift action, more so against the
backdrop of the spreading HIV/AIDS.
â?Some of these teachers who are raping our girls know that they are infected a
nd think they can be cured by engaging in
reckless sex with minors. I am extremely concerned that in this day and age the
teachers' body had not found it necessary to condemn
some of their members who have been found to engage in this vice,â? she said.
She also challenged members of parliament , saying there is an urgent need to re
view rape laws because the current laws did not
provide enough deterrence.
Kenyan legislators are currently on recess.
But the First Lady said the next session of Parliament, which begins next week,
should debate the issue as a matter of priority because the
Kenyan girl-child deserves better laws to protect her.
Even though the Sexual Offences Act was aimed at putting in place strong legal m
easures to curb rape cases in the country, the
implementation process has been slow.
Lucy told the Judiciary, especially magistrates to whom rape cases are brought,
to stop treating the matter casually by taking long to deliver judgments and re
l
easing suspects who are confirmed to be a menace to society.
To underscore the gravity of the matter, she said even prison authorities should
isolate those convicted of rape because rapists are
a threat even to those in penal institutions.
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| Nairobi - 08/02/2010 |
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