Esther Passaris, the Woman Representative for Nairobi County, has delivered a compelling message urging women to prioritise family planning for the well-being of their families.

Speaking to a group of women who benefited from Governor Sakaja’s initiative to support children’s education by paying school fees, Passaris emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and unity in the community.

She also discouraged women from getting more children who they would struggle to raise and educate.

“We need to have peace and unity; the governor has paid school fees for needy children. You should not go and add more. If you benefited through the governor, make sure you play safe.

The population we have, let us take care of it. We do not want to give the governor an extra job. Play in your blankets but in a safe way. You can still play the ‘game’ without getting pregnant. Let us embrace family planning so that those children that we already have can finish school and get good jobs,” Passaris said.

The Woman Representative, known for her vocal stance on family planning and sex education, has consistently advocated for responsible reproductive health practices.

In December 2023, she called upon parents to engage in open conversations with their children about sexual education.

Addressing the audience on Saturday, Passaris emphasized the significance of such discussions, particularly in safeguarding daughters from early pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

She acknowledged the alarming statistics of over 300,000 children under the age of 15 being involved in early pregnancies during the Covid-19 pandemic when they were at home.

“Starting an honest conversation about sex and STIs with your children isn’t just important, it’s essential,” Passaris stated.

She urged mothers not to shy away from engaging their daughters in discussions about sex education, debunking the notion that such topics are incompatible with African traditions.