Man Chains Self to Statue With Urgent Message to Uhuru [VIDEO]
by Imran OtienoA man chained himself to Dedan Kimathi's statue in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) on Monday, September 14, with a message to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
His act caught the attention of a number of Nairobians who were present at the intersection of Kimathi and Mama Ngina streets in Nairobi attracting a crowd.
The unidentified man held a placard that contained a message meant for Uhuru on the alarming number of teenage pregnancies in the country.
The Dedan Kimathi statue at Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
Daily Nation
"Over 150K teenage pregnancies in a period of four months! Kenya is losing a generation by not addressing teenage pregnancies candidly," read the placard.
Police were called to the scene, where they spent time trying to have him disengage from the statue.
According to data from Kenya Health Information Management System (KHIS), the total numbers of teenage pregnancies reported between January and May 2020 are 151,433 compared to 175,488 for the same period in 2019.
Back in June 2014, a man claiming to the grandson of Dedan Kimathi also chained himself to the statue in honor of his late grandfather.
Meanwhile, Uhuru has maintained a tough stance on teenage pregnancies as he noted that those who have impregnated minors across the country will pay for their sins.
Kenyans had different reactions to his style of protest with some branding it a publicity stunt aimed at winning him fame.
Others, however, noted that the country has more pressing issues to discuss rather than teenage pregnancies, with many blaming parents for the crisis.
"There are more important things to talk about than pregnancies. Parents should talk to their boys and girls. How do you expect the government to help you with in this matter? Deploy police in every household? Let's focus on our economy and how we will create jobs," noted Zian Kama.
A section of the public also called for schools to be reopened to help end the problem with a highest number of teenage pregnancies being reported after the closure of learning institutions in the country.