Kisii County Woman Representative aspirant Roselyne Nyakona has raised concern over the growing number of street children in the county, warning that the boy child is increasingly at risk of drifting further into crime and hopelessness than his girl-child counterpart.
She blamed the trend on what she described as society’s overemphasis on protecting the girl child while neglecting boys.
Nyakona spoke on Sunday at St. Lwanga Kisii Cathedral Church during a worship service and a special fundraising drive to support the church’s community service initiatives. She was accompanied by Egerton University don Dr. Magdalene Gesare and other scholars.
She commended the church for its efforts in promoting education through sponsorship programmes and the establishment of children’s homes. Nyakona pledged to partner with the church in advancing education and improving the welfare of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The aspirant also urged the county government to expedite the opening of the Kiamwasi Rehabilitation Centre to accommodate the many youth roaming the streets of Kisii town and equip them with life and survival skills.
Speaking on the root causes of the crisis, Dr. Magdalene Gesare, a social worker and anti-gender violence ambassador, identified neglect and lack of parental attention as key factors driving children away from home.
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She noted that many boys feel abandoned as families and organisations focus more support on girls, leaving boys without adequate guidance and mentorship.
Dr. Gesare further cited domestic violence and broken homes as major contributors, saying constant conflict, separation, and divorce often push children to seek refuge on the streets. She added that extreme poverty; including lack of food, school fees, and clothing, forces many children to run away in search of survival.
She also warned that exposure to drug and substance abuse within homes and neighbourhoods lures children into addiction and crime. According to her, peer pressure and bad company further worsen the problem, with idle youth easily recruited into street gangs and crime.
Dr. Gesare added that harsh punishment and lack of counselling make some children resent their homes and opt for street life instead.
“If we only defend the girl child and forget the boy child, we are raising a broken society. Both need love, discipline, and opportunity,” she said.
She called on parents, churches, and the government to adopt a balanced approach to child protection programmes and address the underlying causes of rebellion before more children are lost to the streets.
By Enock Okong;o
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