- Astiba Kebong’o warns that exposing minors to alcohol violates both child-protection principles and Kenyan law.
- She urges parents, schools, churches and government agencies to strengthen prevention, reporting and early intervention.
- Kebong’o says children must be encouraged to speak whenever adults ask them to conceal harmful behaviour.
A disturbing video reportedly showing a school-going boy being given alcohol to taste, with those around him allegedly warning him not to tell anyone, should concern every parent, teacher and responsible adult.
I was shocked beyond words by the reported incident. Not simply because a child was allegedly exposed to alcohol, but because of the apparent willingness of adults to involve a child in behaviour that could harm him and then instruct him to keep quiet.
What kind of society are we becoming if children can no longer expect adults to protect them?
The law is unequivocal. Section 28 of Kenya’s Alcoholic Drinks Control Act prohibits knowingly selling, supplying or providing alcoholic drinks to a person below the age of 18.
The Children Act, 2022, equally protects children from being subjected to alcohol, tobacco, narcotic drugs and other harmful substances. Section 24 of the Act expressly prohibits subjecting a child to such substances.
Therefore, giving alcohol to a minor is not a harmless joke, a family ritual or an innocent experiment. It is contrary to the law and, more importantly, a serious betrayal of the trust placed in adults to safeguard children.
Parents must create safe spaces for children
Parents have a particularly important role to play. Providing school fees, food and clothing is only part of parenting. Children also need protection from negative influences and the confidence to speak when something does not feel right.
Parents need to know who their children associate with, where they spend their time and the kind of conversations and activities they are exposed to.
More importantly, they should cultivate open communication at home. A child who fears punishment for telling the truth may choose silence when faced with danger.
The alleged instruction to the boy not to tell anyone is especially worrying.
Children must be taught that not every secret should be kept. Where an adult asks a child to conceal exposure to alcohol, drugs, inappropriate behaviour or any form of harm, the child should know that it is right to speak to a trusted parent, teacher, guardian or other responsible adult.
Schools too cannot afford to treat substance abuse as a matter that begins only when a learner is caught drinking. Prevention must come much earlier.
Guidance and counselling should help learners understand peer pressure, manipulation, substance abuse and the dangers of accepting harmful substances from adults or friends.
Teachers are often among the first people to notice changes in a learner’s behaviour. A sudden decline in performance, absenteeism, withdrawal or unexplained behavioural changes should not simply be dismissed as indiscipline.
Churches and agencies also have a role
There is also a role for churches and other religious organisations.
Churches have access to families, young people and communities and can use this influence constructively. Regular programmes on parenting, child protection, substance abuse and responsible adulthood can complement the work being done in schools and by government agencies.
Religious leaders should also encourage parents to have honest conversations with their children rather than assuming that children are automatically protected because they attend church or belong to a particular community.
NACADA and other regulatory and enforcement agencies have an equally important responsibility. Laws protecting children from alcohol must not remain on paper.
There must be sustained vigilance, public awareness and firm action against adults and businesses that deliberately expose minors to alcoholic drinks.
NACADA’s prevention and public education work is important, but the challenge demands continued presence at the grassroots.
Communities should know where to report cases and should have confidence that reports will be taken seriously.
NACADA’s toll-free helpline, 1192, provides counselling, referrals and incident-reporting support and is available 24 hours every day.
But government cannot do everything.
As adults, we must also examine our own conduct.
Children watch us.
They learn from our conversations, friendships, celebrations and everyday choices.
It is contradictory to warn children about the dangers of alcohol while adults introduce them to it or make drinking appear fashionable and harmless.
The protection of a child begins with the people closest to that child.
The disturbing video should therefore not become another social-media sensation that generates outrage today and is forgotten tomorrow.
It should force us to have a serious conversation about child protection and the responsibility of adults.
Every child deserves an environment where they can grow, learn and make age-appropriate choices without being deliberately introduced to harmful substances.
We owe our children better.
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Protecting a child is not a favour.
It is a responsibility, a moral duty and, in many circumstances, a legal obligation.
By Astiba Kebong’o
Email: jackiekebongo@gmail.com
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