A chief in Baringo Central Sub County has warned that no school going child will be allowed to loiter past 6:30 pm in all trading centres within his location during the long holiday.
Speaking to KNA on phone, Kabarnet Soi location chief Christopher Chemjor said he issued a notice which took effect last weekend and placed at strategic places barring young children from watching news, videos, World Cup extravaganza, playing pool and cards within Salawa, Eron, Kimoso and Magonoi market centres.
He stated that the directive which will run for two months affects hotels, bars, video rooms and pool tables in the area and seeks to safeguard the children from idleness which can tempt them to engage in immoral behaviour.
“I will be patrolling with the backup of police officers and area Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) entering the various social joints and when we catch a child we inform the parent who will also be involved in the punishment process,” he said.
Chemjor who also prohibited school children from engaging in boda boda business said he took the move after noticing unprecedented rise in indiscipline cases like early teenage pregnancies and drug abuse among minors occasioned by lack of respect to parents.
The chief said that he is planning to extend the directive beyond opening of schools in January next year in order to protect primary and day school students.
“So long as I am the chief in this location, I intend to make it a lifetime thing for the better of our young children,” he said.
The notice seen by KNA read in part,“All unlicensed bars, video rooms and pool tables are advised to have them.” The directive which was also copied to ACC Salawa, OCS Salawa police station and all area assistant chiefs stated in part that all hotel, bars, video rooms and pool tables violating the directive will be closed.
Chemjor expressed satisfaction that response so far towards the directive has been positive since they have not come across any learner loitering within social joints past 6 pm from the time the letter was effected.
More than 70 expectant candidates are sitting for this year’s KPSEA, KCPE and KCSE Examinations in the county. The County Commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa said that 48 of them are form four candidates while 22 are sitting for their standard eight examinations across the seven sub counties.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
