Nairobi Woman MP Esther Passaris
NAIROBI
Nairobi Woman MP Esther Passaris has warned that Kenya is witnessing a worrying collapse in moral values among boys, saying the country is “reaping the results” of raising a generation without firm parental guidance.
Passaris, speaking during a public forum, said many boys are now growing up without fathers, without mentorship and without a sense of identity — a gap she believes is fueling indiscipline, crime and reckless behavior among young men.
“Women have become a bit more successful, and the self-esteem of men handling women has been lowered,” she said. “I feel the boy child is no longer guarded or guided by the father. We’ve got a lot of single mums. Men are planting seeds everywhere and moving on; it’s become like a sport.”
Education officers and child rights advocates say the trend is visible in schools where cases of violence, truancy and peer-driven delinquency among boys have steadily risen.
Social workers also point to increased exposure to pornography, digital peer pressure and online radicalization as new forces shaping attitudes among teenage boys.
The debate quickly spilled onto social platforms, where Kenyans mixed concern with humor and sarcasm.
One Nairobi resident argued that the problem extends to girls as well, saying the modern girl is “speeding downhill with no brakes.” She added: “If our daughters were cars, NTSA would impound half of them.They’re learning values from influencers, not mothers — and their moral compass now runs on Wi-Fi.”
Another user joked that parents have surrendered the household to the internet.
“Back in the day, mums warned girls about bad boys. Now the girls are the ones giving tutorials — fresh from watching things online that would make their grandmothers faint twice.”
Passaris urged the country to restore mentorship programs and rebuild family structures, saying the conversation is not about blaming genders but rebuilding society.
“If we lose the boy child, we lose the family,” she said. “And when the family collapses, the country follows.”
