Day: April 19, 2024

At least 1000 candidates showed up at Ildamat Stadium in Kajiado for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) recruitment exercise, but only 20 secured the available slots.

The majority of the witnesses termed the exercise as free and fair, as all sub-counties were given a fair chance.

Adan Kala, Senior Assistant Director of Southern Conservation Area KWS, and the recruitment team leader lauded the communities represented during the exercise for their cooperation throughout the process and the candidates who came in large numbers to try their luck.

‘The exercise was well done; we are happy that the communities came early in large numbers; they collaborated with us; we divided the slots among all eight respective sub-counties in Kajiado, including Loitoktok, Kajiado North, Isinya, and others; we had at least two or three slots for each sub-county; and we were also considering areas which are impacted by wildlife, such as Loitoktok and areas neighbouring Nairobi National Park,’ said Adan.

Adan added that, in an ex
ercise that was highly competitive, they did a thorough verification process in a free and fair manner so as to get the best candidates.

He added that the best verification and recruitment exercise was carried out openly, where people from different communities had a chance to witness the whole process.

‘We had close to 1000 candidates who came to look for this job.

We have done a lot of verifications; the candidates were willing to collaborate, and we have looked at their height and academic qualifications. Finally, they ran, and we recruited the winners. We have recruited three ladies and 17 men as potential rangers from all eight sub-counties to be trained at the Manayani Law Enforcement Academy KWS in May 2024,’ added Adan.

One of the residents, Philip Ole Merian, revealed that he has attended many recruitment exercises, and based on his observations, this one was the most open, honest, and fair exercise he has experienced.

‘This is not my first time to attend such exercise and among the many that I
have attended, this one was very transparent. This is because the sub-counties were represented, and new sub-counties like Elangata Wuas, Kilonito and Oloyiankalani were given a chance to participate’, revealed Ole Merian.

Sipilon Timoi from Tolosei said that, she was really impressed by the whole process, not only because of how fair and free it was conducted but also because candidates from her area were considered. She narrated that, she comes from an area where they experience human-wildlife conflict; hence, recruiting one of their own will impact their community in a big way.

‘Where I come from, each and every time we are conflicting with elephants, so now that one or two of our people have been considered, it is an added advantage to us as a community, who have faced human-wildlife conflict.

We will see the benefit when they are trained on how to handle and control them. The more we recruit, the more we solve the problem because they will be there to rescue the situation,’ pointed Timoi.

During the
latest National Youth Service (NYS) passout, President William Ruto promised that in every recruitment exercise, NYS will be given the first priority of at least 80%. This promise was witnessed at Kajiado during the KWS recruitment, where among the 20 successful candidates, 11 of them were from NYS.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Judiciary in Makueni County plans to hold an open day on April 26, 2024, where members of the public will be educated about the court processes, Makueni Law Courts Chief Magistrate (CM) Mr. Peter Gesora has said.

Gesora said that the event will be held at Unoa Sports Ground, where Judicial Officers from Makindu, Tawa, Kilungu, and Makueni courts will interact with the public and explain to them what they do and how they can access the court processes.

‘We will have a one-day event where members of the public will be told about the best practices here in our courts. They shall be told why people are released on bond or given bail,’ said Gesora in a County Users Committee (CUC) chaired by Makueni High Court Presiding Judge Teresia Matheka at the court board room in Wote town on Thursday.

‘Also, the people will have an opportunity to learn about e-filing and Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms, among other services offered by the court,’ he said, revealing that the theme of the event is: ‘A Day for
the Community with the Court.’

He also told other members of the county court users committee that they will have the opportunity to exhibit at the event, where they will explain to the members of the public the services they offer that supplement the court.

In this regard, the Chief Magistrate appealed to the members of the public to come out in large numbers to learn about the court processes.

During the meeting, he disclosed that all files at the court have been scanned, and anybody could know the status of their case by clicking a button.

‘You can now know the status of your case by clicking a button since all files have been scanned. If Judicial Officers ask for bribes, come to us quietly, and we will take disciplinary action against them,’ warned Gesora.

On her part, the Presiding Judge Matheka said that efforts should be made to make the public aware of the different alternative dispute resolution mechanisms that assist in decongesting ‘our prisons across the country.’

‘We have plea bargaining, t
raditional, and diversion resolution systems that communities can use in settling disputes of both civil and criminal nature. If the people use these alternative resolution mechanisms, our prisons will be decongested as they will resolve their problems amicably,’ said Matheka.

On illicit brews, the Presiding Judge said that alcohol abuse had rendered the youth very unproductive, stressing the need to work as a team in order to win the war on drugs and alcohol abuse.

Among those present are county heads from the National Administration, Health, Prisons, and Law Society of Kenya.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Government is planning to construct nine state-of-the-art mineral testing laboratories across a cluster of counties in the country to bolster the efficiency and quality of mineral mining and value addition.

According to Principal Secretary in the State Department of Mining in the Ministry of Mining, the Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Elijah Mwangi, the laboratories, expected to be operational by June this year, were being set up in counties that have been surveyed and found to have mineral deposits.

‘A national geophysical survey successfully identified 970 mineral occurrences with confirmation of the quality of resources discovered in 24 counties,’ he said.

He said the ministry is also undertaking field-based work on the identified mineral deposit occurrences across counties to determine the volumes and value of the mineral resources available before investors are invited to start commercial exploitation.

Speaking in Kakamega during the induction and inauguration of County Artisanal Mining Commit
tees (AMCs) from seven counties, the PS said the government is keen to bring services closer to the people.

He said the laboratories would ensure scientific testing of minerals was done at the local level so that artisanal miners get value for their minerals and were not exploited by brokers and cartels.

‘By June, the equipment will have been installed, and we will use customised containers before buildings are put up,’ he added.

Mwangi said Kisumu, Kakamega, and Migori were among the nine counties that have been identified to get the lab testing equipment. Others were Kilifi, Embu Kwale, Busia, Kwale, and Marsabit.

The PS said the artisanal committees have the mandate of vetting and issuing license and permits to artisanal miners, prospecting, mining, processing, and trading entities in the sector, as well as sensitising the local community on environmental protection.

The PS said a framework is being developed by the ministry to administer strategic minerals so that those carrying out extracts do not e
xploit Kenyans.

Vihiga County Deputy Governor Wilberforce Kitiezo hailed the national government for identifying investors to establish a granite plant in Vihiga County and a gold refinery in Kakamega County.

He hailed the setting up of County Artisanal Mining Committees, saying the mining sector has previously been operating without a clear mechanism to ensure the gainful exploitation of minerals.

‘This is a great step towards making devolution work since counties are the greatest beneficiaries,’ he added.

Kericho County Executive Member for Water, Energy, Environment, Natural Resources, and Forestry, Rosemary Rop, said the county is encouraging artisanal miners to form cooperative societies so that they could benefit from government support as well as increase their bargaining power.

‘In Kericho, we have large deposits of strategic minerals including coltan, oxide, gold, and fluorspar, and this move will help ensure artisanal miners work in areas that have been categorised to work in,’ she added.

Her
Kakamega counterpart, Peninah Mukabana, the CEC for Water, Environment, and Natural Resources, said over five companies were prospecting for gold in Bushangala and Isulu areas in Ikolomani constituency, where there was huge potential for gold deposits.

She hailed the formation of the artisanal miners, saying it would be the voice of the ordinary artisanal miner.

Meanwhile, the PS thanked Kenyans for the support they have accorded him in the performance of his duties after being ranked as the best-performing PS in government.

Mwangi, in an independent survey by Infro Trak, emerged the winner with a resounding 59% approval rating, beating all the other counterparts in the same category.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A total of 15 youths in Kericho County were selected to join the Kenya Wildlife Service after a rigorous recruitment exercise conducted at the Kiprugut Chumo Stadium in Kericho Town.

Hundreds of youth turned up from all six sub-counties (Ainamoi, Bureti, Belgut, Soin-Sigowet, Kipkelion East, and Kipkelion West) for the KWS recruitment exercise with the hope of securing an opportunity to join the disciplined service tasked with conserving and managing national parks, sanctuaries, and wildlife in the country.

The rigorous exercise that was free for all aimed at recruiting qualified young and dynamic individuals as Rangers who can endure the conditions for training and deployment to various conservation areas in response to the wildlife protection challenges currently being experienced in the country.

Speaking to Kenya News Agency, the Head of Veterinary and Capture Services at Kenya Wildlife Service, Dr. Isaac Lekolool, who was the Recruitment Team Leader, disclosed that a majority of those who got disquali
fied did not meet some of the requirements, including the height requirement, while some were turned away for failing the physical fitness test. Others, he added, lacked original academic certificates and were thus disqualified.

‘We were targeting to get 15 candidates, and we managed to achieve that. We have selected 12 gentlemen and 3 ladies who are going to report on 24th of May 2024 for training. We had large numbers of youth who turned up, and we tried our level best to distribute the slots equitably across all six sub-counties.’ said Dr. Lekolool.

He said all successful candidates will undergo mandatory paramilitary training at the Law Enforcement Agency in Manyani, after which they will be deployed across the eight conservation areas (Tsavo, Eastern, Mountain, Southern, Coast, Central Rift, Northern, and Western), all under KWS jurisdiction.

‘After the candidates have been trained and deployed as KWS Rangers, they will assist in dealing with the rising cases of human-wildlife conflicts near wildlife-
protected areas,’ he added.

The Kenya Wildlife Service Field Training School in Manyani, which is within the Tsavo West National Park, was established in 1990, and in 2011, the name was changed to KWS Law Enforcement Academy since the institution also trains personnel who undertake security-oriented duties but hails from non-conservation fields such as the Kenya Ports Authority.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Dorcas Rigathi Foundation has identified over 30, 000 youth in the country who have registered to start rehabilitation from drug addiction.

The identified youth, the majority being boys and young men, are on a waiting list as the Foundation is ready to graduate at least 1200 who were placed on rehab last year and have reformed.

Those graduating were among the 4500 placed in rehab centers across the country by the Foundation last year who were identified and registered during medical camps.

Pastor Dr. Dorcas Rigathi, who is the Patron of the Foundation has called for the establishment of more rehab centres to accommodate the increasing number of youth seeking to transform their lives from drug addiction.

Speaking in Kakamega during her tour of the County, Pastor Dorcas said the Foundation would outlive her current position as the office holder of the spouse of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to continue rescuing the boy child, supporting widows and People with Disabilities in the society.

She said
the foundation conducts medical camps to identify levels of alcoholic, drug, and substance abuse in the targeted youth before choosing the type of support to be offered.

Those with high levels of drug addiction are taken to rehab centres, while those whose levels could easily be managed were placed under community rehab services.

According to Pastor Dorcas, in the Community Rehab services, the youth take part in an enrichment programme that includes participation in the ‘Kandanda Afya’ with doctors and psychologists in place to offer counselling and take them through mentorship classes.

Those listed in the rehab centres undergo thorough medication and counselling sessions to get rid of the addiction.

‘Those who start engaging in drug and substance abuse do it jokingly and as a pastime, but later they become addicted, and it also affects their mental health,’ she noted.

She explained that in the rehab centres, the boys undergo treatment and therapy sessions with medics, psychologists, therapists, and past
ors who examine them.

Pastor Dorcas noted that they relied on partners and people of good will who donated to support screening services and the provision of funds to pay for rehabilitation and training the reformed to acquire skills.

She noted that the cost of rehab services is too high, where a person spends between Sh30, 000 to Sh45, 000 per month, noting that it is not affordable to those who may need to reform.

‘Some stay for almost six to seven months in the rehab centres, which increases the cost of the service. Those who inject themselves with drugs take about two years in rehab centres to get well and back to normal,’ she pointed out.

Pastor Dorcas asked the government to also introduce the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) services in rehab centres so that Kenyans could use the fund to pay for rehab services.

‘We welcome those who may want to adopt children whom we have screened and pay for their rehabilitation or pay for them to undertake a skill at the Technical and Vocational Education a
nd Training (TVET) centres so that they can acquire necessary skills that will enable them to get jobs,’ she added.

She said the foundation is recording a 90 per cent success rate for the rehab programme, with the majority of those placed in the programme graduating as reformed with technical skills.

She said they normally faced challenges during the first days of the rehab, where they developed a strong urge to fall back due to withdrawal symptoms.

Due to the gravity of drug addiction, Pastor Dorcas has asked those pushing for recognition of busaa, muratina, and other traditional brews to proceed with caution to ensure the safety of consumers of the drinks.

‘In the past, people were brewing traditional brews, but you could rarely hear people dying or becoming blind after consuming traditional brews. At this time, those who make the brews are people who do not care about people’s lives. The challenge is how we can continue with these cultures and ensure the brews are legal and safe for consumption. We nee
d to have laws that will protect the youth and people who consume traditional brews,’ she noted.

Pastor Dorcas noted that through the rehabilitation, some have been taken to school, some have gone to university, and some have resumed their jobs after being accepted.

‘Currently, we have about 26 youth who have graduated from the rehab centres and acquired technical skills; we want to take them to work at the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP). In Bomet, we have a group that has started to raise tree seedlings to get funds,’ she added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, has underlined the government’s commitment to delivering universal health coverage as a key pillar of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda.

Speaking at the 23rd Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA) Annual Scientific Conference held at Pride Inn Shanzu on Thursday, Mudavadi emphasised that the partnership between the government, health workers, stakeholders, and professionals should not be downplayed despite the ongoing strike.

He regretted, however, that the strike was now on its fifth week and crippled the public health system, leading to immense suffering for Kenyans.

Mudavadi urged Healthcare Sector Stakeholders to align their priorities and commitments with the government’s healthcare agenda to provide affordable, accessible, and quality services to all Kenyans.

‘You have a collective responsibility to support the Whole of Government Approach in delivering on your commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for health t
o ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages,’ he said.

The PCS applauded the organisers of the conference, highlighting its role in providing a dynamic platform for essential stakeholders in the healthcare sector to exchange the latest insights and contemplate on how data is influencing the provision of health services, especially for children.

‘Focusing on the well-being of our children validates our moral obligation to provide an enabling environment for them to grow into healthy and productive citizens. Children are our hope and our future. Every parent, community, and country must protect their rights, including their right to quality healthcare,’ he said.

He emphasized that the data collected from research and ongoing interactive networks should guide the government and healthcare sector stakeholders in identifying priority interventions for enhancing people’s access to quality healthcare services.

The Prime CS highlighted that a child who benefits from adequate health, nutritio
n, early learning opportunities, safety, and a supportive environment is positioned for success, as evidenced by enhanced learning abilities, completion of high school, increased work productivity, and greater earning potential.

‘The health of our children is not just a predictor of increased life expectancy but also a predictor of their contribution to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Investing in our children, therefore, means shaping our future leaders and our country’s workforce,’ he said.

The Prime CS said it was imperative that, even as the focus shifts to the implementation of healthcare programmes, collectively there was a need to exercise responsibility to promote peace and security within societies.

Mudavadi also pointed out that, as much as the world has made a considerable recovery from the impact of COVID-19, emerging regional and global conflicts pose an existential threat to the delivery of quality healthcare services.

In his closing remarks, Mudavadi appreciated KPA’s long-standing commit
ment, since its inception in 1968, to advance paediatric healthcare in the country and the region.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Farmers in Nakuru County have been urged to adopt the use of bio-pesticides and bio-fertilisers to ensure safe and sustainable increased agricultural production, as they offer a safe, natural, and effective alternative.

They were encouraged to shift from conventional chemical-based pesticides and fertilisers, which often come with detrimental environmental and health consequences. This was highlighted today by Agriculture Chief Officer Newton Mwaura during a bio-pesticides and bio-fertilisers exhibition at the Agricultural Training Centre in Soilo.

Mwaura noted that the administration, under the leadership of H.E. Governor Susan Kihika, has continued to create awareness and provide technical assistance in the promotion of organic farming by training 69 plant doctors and establishing 50 plant clinics to aid farmers in the diagnosis and recommendation of the best management practices.

Additionally, having farmers who are Integrated Pest Management (IPM) champions, who promote the use of safer pest control p
roducts such as traps and biopesticides among their peers is vital to enhancing sustainable pest management practices within our farming communities.

The exhibition was organised in collaboration with the Cereals Growers Association-Farm to Market Alliance (CGA-FtMA), which brought together over 20 stakeholders. Also in attendance are Ag. Directors of Agriculture and Livestock Production, Mrs. Hannah Oduor and Virginiah Ngunjiri.

In the recent past, there has been a hue and cry over fake fertilisers in the country, but the officers refused to comment, claiming that it was not part of their mandate.

Already, Agricultural Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has assured the country that farmers who were issued fake fertiliser would be compensated.

However, the chairman of small-scale farmers in the county, Bernard Mwenje, said that, much as the usage of organic fertiliser was a good thing for the environment, its making and accessibility due to its higher cost were likely to be a challenge for a number of farm
ers.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The organising committee of the Eldoret City Marathon has adopted a 30-acre forest site at Napkoi Forest Station, Ainabkoi Sub County, Uasin Gishu, to plant 30000 indigenous trees as a way to conserve the environment and fight the effects of climate change.

Speaking during a tree planting event held at the Eldoret Sports Club, Uasin Gishu, the Eldoret City Marathon Director, Moses Tanui, pointed out that the move is aimed at fighting air pollution and restoring the climate to ensure clean and healthy air for people, especially athletes.

He commended the county for sponsoring 1000 athletes, the national government through the Talanta Hela programme, and sponsors like Kenya Forest Service, Safaricom, and others for their immense support of the marathon in achieving its purpose of running for climate action.

In his remarks, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) North Rift Regional Forest Conservator, Anthony Musyoka, lauded the collaboration between KFS and the Eldoret City Marathon, which has enabled them to plant
trees in many institutions across the county in efforts to avert the adverse effects of climate change.

‘We are also undertaking site adoption at Napkoi Forest Station, where Eldoret City Marathon will be adopting 30 acres and planting 30000 indigenous trees. It is a noble course, and we urge and encourage each and every one of you, wherever you come from, to do some tree planting,’ noted the conservator.

‘And if you need areas to adopt within our forest areas, come; we will give you ample space to participate in tree planting, and we will be joining the global community towards mitigating climate change,’ said Musyoka.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organisation (KEPRO) has entered into public-private partnership with the Uasin Gishu County Government to combat improper solid waste management practices.

Speaking during the sensitization drive at Boma Inn Eldoret, the Director of KEPRO, Richard Kainika, noted that the Sustainable Waste Management Act 2022 was put in place because of the need for sustainable waste management practices.

‘It is also targeted to reduce pollution because we have a serious problem with pollution in our country. The act promotes the circular economy for green growth practices,’ he said.

‘This event is important to waste management actors in the county and the producers of products that are coming to the market as it is the implementation of the Sustainable Waste Management Act 2022,’ noted Kainika.

He noted that the act stipulates that all producers must extend their responsibility for the products they introduce into the Kenyan market at the post-consumer stage.

‘As a region, we
need to avoid dumping waste and see whether, through circular economy practices, we can rethink the design of our products so that instead of dumping using the linear model economy, we can begin to embrace the circular economy,’ said Kainika.

‘As representative of the Kenya Association of Waste Recyclers, we inform young people of the potential that is in waste. In this association, we register private sector businesses, entities that are involved in the extraction of value from waste, and these businesses create a lot of jobs in the country,’ he added.

‘We are currently recycling around 20 per cent, and with this act in place, we are targeting to do 85 per cent, whereby we are going to grow the recycling industry to more than 300 per cent of what we have today,’ noted the director.

‘It is a significant move, and this is something that we plan to do all over the country so that in years to come, we will have a robust circular economy happening in Kenya,’ he said.

‘We will minimise dumping and littering, a
nd in place, we will grow our businesses and industries even as our design and technology advance to minimise waste that cannot be recycled and products that cannot be reused or refurbished,’ he noted.

The National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) Regional Coordinator Bernard Kigen noted that, from the perspective of our population, the council emphasises the significance of partnerships and widespread dissemination of information on waste management because if waste cannot be managed, it can cause serious threats to humans.

‘It is therefore important that stakeholders take up their responsibilities to ensure sustainable waste management practices in our environment,’ he said.

National Coordinator Kenya Platform on Climate Governance, North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) region, David Busienei, said they deal with matters on climate change and work under four thematic areas relating to climate action, climate adaptation, climate mitigation, climate advancement, and climate technology.

‘With colla
boration with KEPRO as they deal with waste management, it is important when it comes to climate mitigation and adaptation,’ said Busienei.

‘We are giving KEPRO the platform to disseminate the information and sensitise the community around it, and we are calling upon the community to be part of that platform so that we can work together and move forward,’ he noted.

Director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), West Pokot County Cliff Barkach, said that the Sustainable Waste Management Act is a good law because it gives responsibility to waste generators and the producers to ensure that the plastics they have generated do not contaminate the environment.

He urged the producers to come up with a plan on how they are going to remove these substances from the environment so that the county government does not take up the burden of collecting the waste they did not generate, but instead the county government would only be dealing with mismanaged waste.

He urged all waste value actors to rea
ch out to NEMA for licensing, ensuring compliance with the minimum conditions for operations.

He further added that all Kenyans should ensure they separate their waste at source so that it is easier for that waste to be taken back to recyclers.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The International Labour Organisation [ILO] has called on national and county governments to scale up and strengthen legal and policy interventions to reverse and curb the increase in cases of child labour and trafficking in the country.

The ILO noted that even though the country has enacted laws that prohibit child labour and human trafficking, it continues to record these cases that have mostly affected urban areas, major highways, coastal areas, and border counties.

According to ILO Programme Manager Grace Banya, governments should deploy swift policy interventions to address gaps that continue to be exploited by perpetrators of human trafficking and enforce laws that would reduce these cases of child labour and exploitation.

Banya said ILO has been involved in capacity building and sensitization exercises targeting border counties of Bungoma, Kajiado, Kwale, and Nairobi due to their high caseload, which she noted has been attributed to increased poverty levels and retrogressive cultural practices.

Sp
eaking in Naivasha during a stakeholder’s exercise, Banya said Kajiado has a high prevalence of cases of children dropping out of school to undertake livestock herding, cases of child marriages, teenage pregnancies, and domestic child labour.

On the other hand, Bungoma County has recorded increased cases of children who have been trafficked from Uganda and neighbouring countries for commercial sex exploitation and domestic work, while Nairobi has recorded more cases of trafficked street kids, and more cases of sex tourism have been reported in coastal counties.

Banya regretted that since the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of children have yet to resume their studies and have been involved in child labour to support their families due to increased poverty levels and harsh economic shocks across the country.

Banya said the ILO continues to train and equip various government agencies, including the police, judicial officers, prosecutors, labour, and employment officers, to ensure perpetrators of child labour an
d trafficking face the full force of the law.

The officer added that ILO continues to work with local NGOs involved in rescue missions of trafficked children to ensure they get social counselling as well as support to resume their studies and chart a better future.

She regretted that children involved in the labour force continued to be exploited and abused, with most of them doing work with little or no pay as they were unable to negotiate their employment contract terms.

However, Banya said the country has made great strides and progress in addressing these glaring concerns, with a section of counties moving to enact laws that prohibit and restrict child labour and trafficking within their borders.

She noted that Mombasa County has already formulated a child protection policy which once enforced, would rein in perpetrators of the child trafficking menace, eradicate the vice, and create a safe haven for children.

Banya called on relevant government agencies to ensure the provision of education for all c
hildren and accelerate social protection programmes to help vulnerable families in order to arrest child labour, which has been attributed to increased poverty levels.

Mikindani MCA in Mombasa County Jacktone Madiaro said the child protection policy under the County Assembly would ensure the county eradicates various forms of child labour and offers a lifeline for school-going children.

Madiaro said Mombasa has recorded an increased number of street children involved in hawking, child sexual exploitation, and children working in mines with drug menaces, making the situation worse.

According to Kajiado Children Officer Cosmas Karera, the county has recorded more cases of children involved in sand harvesting, cattle herding, child marriages, and female genital mutilation [FGM], which has seen school dropout cases rise.

Karera noted that Kajiado County is already formulating a child protection policy that would see strict enforcement, sensitise communities on child labour, and ensure perpetrators of the vice
face justice.

The Head of Prevention at Awareness Against Human Trafficking, Miriam Mang’oka, said that more cases have been recorded of trafficked children destined for the Gulf States and South Asian countries for labour and sex exploitation.

Ms. Mang’oka said urban areas and border counties were the most affected, with perpetrators reverting to the use of social media to lure and recruit victims, adding that over 40 million cases of child labour and trafficking were reported globally last year.

According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics [KNBS], 8.5 per cent of children, or 1.3 million, are engaged in child labour, with Arid and Semi-Arid areas being the most affected.

According to the already enacted National Child Act, every child shall be protected from all forms of economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral, and social development.

Source: Kenya News Agency