Lamu Senator, Joseph Githuku Kamau has initiated a program to offer monetary rewards to pregnant women across the county.
While announcing the program at the Faza Primary School in Lamu East Sub-County, Mr Githuku said the move is an incentive for the women to stop using family planning methods and instead, concentrate on giving birth to as many children as possible.
Mr Githuku argued that more births will boost the county’s political bargaining power and making the national government allocate more money to Lamu.
According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Lamu has a total of 143,920 people.
Statistics from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) also show that Lamu has only 79,157 registered voters.
The numbers put Lamu as a region with the lowest population for both residents and registered voters compared to the rest of the 47 counties.
Mr Githuku said the low population is disadvantageous to Lamu in many ways, hence the need for residents to rise up to the occasion.
The senator declared that every pregnant woman that he will come across shall receive Sh500 cash money.
He said a special team shall go around the county, rewarding every pregnant woman that will be sighted even as he called on men, particularly the youth, to work hard on the ‘project.’
Since the start of devolution in 2013, Lamu County has been receiving the least annual funds allocation from the national treasury, ranging between Sh1.5 billion to not more than Sh4 billion.
Mr Githuku insists that the current low allocations to the county were directly linked to Lamu’s small and low population growth.
“I have faced challenges in parliament every time I complain about the low revenue allocation for Lamu. Unfortunately, I become helpless when the argument is based on the population,” said Mr Githuku.
The legislator also said he is sponsoring the education of all Pre-Primary 1 and Pre-Primary 2 (PP1 and PP2) learners across Lamu County.
He urged the county government of Lamu to improve the health sector so that his ongoing campaign encouraging people to give birth can be successful.
“I have now opened the gates for you people, the youth who are here. Please work hard. Once the child is born and attains the school-going age, they will directly be Senator Githuku’s burden in PP1 and PP2,” said Mr Githuku.
He said discussions were also ongoing between his office and that of Lamu Governor, Issa Timamy so that a free school feeding program can be introduced across the county by January 2023.
He also revealed to have initiated talks with the Education Cabinet Secretary and other officials in the Ministry of Education that have already seen funds allocated to some schools facing hardships in Lamu County to enable them to undertake free feeding programs.
“We have primary schools like Mkokoni, Milimani, Mararani, Mangai, Kiunga, Kiangwe, Basuba, and Bar’goni in Boni forest whose funds have already been disbursed in their accounts to undertake feeding program as a pilot project,” said Mr Githuku.
Locals interviewed by Nation.Africa welcomed Senator Githuku’s call for residents to give birth to more children.
Abdallah Yusuf from Faza village said many people have been willing to bear enough children but are worried about the tough economic situation.
“Provided there’s an elaborate plan to assist us to educate, feed, shelter, and provide clothing to our children, why not give birth to even ten children? We welcome the senator’s program to sponsor PP1 and PP2. We need more such leaders,” said Mr Yusuf.
Salma Bwanamkuu says she will have to reconsider adding more children after the Senator’s sentiments.
Ms Bwanamkuu is a mother of two and had already closed the chapter of giving birth.
“I had stopped giving birth. I have two children. I will have to discuss with my husband so that we reconsider getting an extra two children,” said Ms Bwanamkuu.
