A senior Nandi County official has raised concern about what she described as an increase in same-sex relationships across the county and called for a collective response, The Star, Kenya reports.
Dr Lydia Kosgey, the county's deputy secretary, spoke at the Eliud Kipchoge Stadium in Kapsabet town on Thursday, saying figures available to the county suggested the cases had grown widespread.
According to The Star, Kenya, Kosgey told those present that the relationships involve both men and women and that they are being reported in workplaces, churches and the wider community, not only in private settings.
Why it matters
The remarks put a public spotlight on a subject that is rarely discussed openly in county-level forums in Kenya, and they come from a serving official rather than a commentator. The Star, Kenya reports that Kosgey framed the issue as one that cuts across institutions — offices, places of worship and neighbourhoods — which is why she argued it needs action from more than one quarter.
Her comments also tie the debate to two other issues the county is already grappling with: drug and substance abuse, and the safety of children during long school holidays. According to the outlet, she linked both to the trend she described.
County says research is still underway
Kosgey was careful to say the county does not yet have a full explanation. According to The Star, Kenya, she said research is ongoing to establish why the cases are increasing, and that the county is working from statistics it already holds.
She said the study is examining why some residents are moving away from what she called the norm. Early findings, she said, point to drug and substance abuse and to curiosity — a wish to explore something unfamiliar.
The Star, Kenya reports that Kosgey did not release the underlying figures during her address, and she did not say when the research would be completed or published.
Appeal to parents over the holidays
Much of Kosgey's message was directed at parents. She asked them to keep a close watch on their children through the long school break, warning that young people could be targeted by those seeking to draw them into such relationships.
According to The Star, Kenya, she urged families to be welcoming and affectionate toward their children, saying that a supportive home reduces the chance of them falling under outside influence.
She made a similar appeal regarding the Christmas period, asking parents to remain close to their children so they do not become involved in drug abuse.
New clinic offers free support
Separately at the same event, Abigael Jepkoech, who coordinates gender-based violence work in Nandi County, said the county government has set up a dedicated clinic at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital.
According to The Star, Kenya, Jepkoech said the Gender-Based Violence clinic provides counselling and psychosocial support at no cost. She said the facility is staffed by trained counsellors who review each patient's history before beginning free psychotherapy.
Jepkoech added that the clinic also serves teenage mothers without charge, The Star, Kenya reports, citing a rise in adolescent pregnancies linked to illicit relationships.
The county has not said when the research into same-sex relationships will conclude or whether its findings will be made public.
