Silhouettes2

Malindi, April 2012

My next stop, after Nakuru, was the coastal town of Malindi. Being at the shores of the Indian Ocean, a bit of humidity is expected especially for the discerning visitor. The rising and setting of the sun leaves a memorable mark – what with the tall palm trees that seem to usher the godly ball of light in and out of mother earth!

It is here that I receive horrendous accounts of sexual violence meted especially on children (both male and female). Malindi, like Mtwapa is a hotspot for child sex tourism. I remembered a UNICEF study of 2008-2009 on child sex tourism at the Kenyan Coastal region. A social worker related to me how children are being lured out of school to sell sex. Since the hotels no longer condone the ghastly sight of old tourists running around with small girls/boys (thanks to the signing of the code of ethics), the business has shifted to privately owned cottages as beach-boys hone their pimping skills.

At the police gender desk, I am informed that the biggest headache is violence between girlfriends and boyfriends but noted underreporting of all forms of violence, generally. No mention of sex tourism – this is a high stakes issue. There is a general feeling by other stakeholders that early marriages, sodomy and child sex tourism are the most prevalent forms of sexual violence. Due to cultural settings and fear of victimisation, many cases go unreported.

Case A:

A man was brought before court for the offence of marrying a 14 year old girl. The old man (groom) argued that he has been living with the said girl for over two year after paying dowry to the girls’ parents. He argued that both the girl and her parents had consented to the marriage!

According to Section 29 of the Sexual Offences Act, offences of cultural and religious nature attract a minimum sentence of 10 years. The Act also stipulates that consent of a child (below 18 years) is not admissible in court.

According to Mr Barua, Director of a community based organisation, cases of early marriages are rampant in Malindi both among Christians and Moslems. Moslems are known to marry off their daughters to foreign suitors mainly from Saudi Arabia. This presents a challenge because before the case can be reported to the authorities, the newly weds would have left the country.

Case B:

Due to high levels of stigma attached to sodomy, such a case was quietly solved at family level. The perpetrator was sent off to live with a distant relative in Tanzania.

According to a faith-based organisation in Watamu, sodomy is very rampant at the beaches due to sex tourism. The victims are not just small boys but adult men as well.

Case C:

Sex tourism cases exist but to get the full accounts, some investigative journalism and more research is called for.