Integrating Indigenous Traditions, Christian Moral Frameworks and Scientific Strategies in Combating Teenage Sexual Immorality: Evidence from the Bukusu Community of Western Kenya

Teenage sexual immorality remains a persistent public health and socio-moral challenge in sub-Saharan Africa contributing to high rates of adolescent pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), school dropout and intergenerational poverty. In Western Kenya, particularly among the Bukusu community, conventional interventions such as comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and youth-friendly health services have produced mixed outcomes, often encountering resistance due to perceived cultural and religious incompatibility. Conversely, indigenous initiation systems and Christian moral teachings historically shaped adolescent behaviour but currently lack integration with contemporary sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge. This study is organized thematically around the three core pillars of the study that is, the prevalence and underlying causes of sexual immorality among teenagers in Western Kenya, with a focus on the Bukusu community, the role of Bukusu traditional practices, Christian teachings, and scientific approaches in addressing teenage sexual immorality and finally integrated strategies. Data was obtained from teenagers, parents/guardians, Bukusu elders, church leaders/youth mentors, and health workers using questionnaires, key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) in western Kenya. Quantitative data were presented using tables, percentages, charts, and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically and integrated to enrich interpretation. This study advances and evaluates an integrated, culturally grounded model that combines Bukusu traditional mentorship systems, Christian moral authority, and scientific evidence-based approaches. Guided by social control, social learning and Ecological Systems theories, it demonstrates that fragmented single-sector interventions are insufficient, whereas culturally resonant and multi-sectoral strategies enhance legitimacy, acceptance, and sustainability. The study establishes and recommends the use of Integrated Contextual Behaviour Regulation Model (ICBRM) as a framework for aligning tradition, faith, and science in adolescent sexual health programming.