Leaders in Embu West Sub-county have raised the red flag over the decline of the institution of marriage as many young men increasingly continue shunning marriage.

They said close to two-thirds of young men aged between 21 and 35 had steered clear of marriage which was to blame for a decline in population growth in the area and subsequent poor school enrollment.

Kagaari South MCA Barnabas Njama said it was a worrying trend that called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to address it in order to shape up the next generation.

Speaking at Kathanjuri Primary School on Monday while donating chairs and tables for ECDE learners and teachers in the area, Njama said drugs and alcoholism were to blame for the trend.

‘Majority of our young people have become irresponsible and turned to the risky behavior of drug abuse and heavy drinking forcing them to skip marriage,’ he said.

He said the development had led to poor enrollment in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) over the years with some centres recording single digits in enrollment.

‘At this rate, it is becoming clear that we will be forced to close down some schools in the near future if nothing is done to remedy the situation,’ he said.

His sentiments were echoed by County Government Chaplain Rev Isaiah Wa Tabitha who beseeched the youth to shun the destructive habits that he said added no value to their lives.

‘These social ills have led to laziness among the youth who just want to sit pretty and not work or commit to anything meaningful in life including marriage,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency