National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale wrote to Speaker Justin Muturi withdrawing a proposed amendment to Statute Law. Photo Credit: Nation Media Group
Kenyan’s government is no longer going to push through a proposal to reduce the age of consent from 18 to 16 for the participation in sexual activity.
The controversial proposal was criticized by many rights groups including gender activists. According to the Daily Nation the many female MPs were angered by the proposed change during the various reading sessions.
The National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi was quoted by the Daily Nation to have said that debate on the Statute Law or Bill “will proceed as though the withdrawn sections were not part of the Bill.”
Mr. Muturi said on Thursday that “I wish to inform the House that I have received a letter from the leader of the majority party requesting to withdraw the proposed amendments”.
Withdrawing the proposed changes to age of consent then means that persons hoping that both boys and girls should get a fairer treatment after having sex will have to wait a bit longer.
The Age of Consent in Kenya will for now remain 18 years old. That is the minimum age at which an individual would be considered old enough to consent to engaging in sex.
Individuals who engage in sexual activity with person aged 17 or younger risk being prosecuted for rape.
Source: Africafeeds.com
