The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Labour and Social Protection Florence Bore has announced a government initiative to close down all private children’s homes in the country within the next eight years.
Speaking at Nzoia Sugar Primary School in Bungoma, Bore emphasized that this decision was driven by the need to ensure that children are raised in a family setting and to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Children’s Act of 2022.
She further pointed out that the government aims to enhance the regulation and monitoring of children’s development while combating child trafficking.
The CS pointed out that some private children’s homes had become hubs for child trafficking.
“The government is well-equipped and financially capable of providing for children’s needs, emphasizing that “children belong to the government,” she stated.
Furthermore, Bore urged parents and child rights advocates in Bungoma County to prioritize the welfare of children, especially in light of alarming statistics related to teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence.
Additionally, she called upon local authorities and security agencies to ban disco matanga events, which she identified as a significant contributor to early teenage pregnancies in the region.
The CS’s visit to Nzoia Sugar Primary School in Bungoma County served the purpose of monitoring the progress of approximately 400 pupils supported by the government through the Children Welfare Society of Kenya (CWSK).
She commended the school for offering these children an opportunity to receive an education, highlighting that all children under the Children’s Welfare Society of Kenya receive government sponsorship.
However, the MP for Kanduyi John Makali disagreed with Bore’s proposal and advocated for the creation of more centers to protect vulnerable children.
“These homes were established for a specific purpose and should not be shut down,” he argued.
In response to these concerns, Members of Parliament have introduced a bill aimed at increasing the number of children’s homes in the country, and Makali called on fellow MPs to support this legislation.
By Tony Wafula
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