Police in Matete Sub County, Kakamega County have received a major security boost following the commissioning of a new police facility and a child protection unit.
The two projects, funded by National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) and World Vision Kenya are meant to provide a proper working environment for the police officers and safeguard the welfare of children respectively.
Lugari Member of Parliament Nabii Nabwera who commissioned the NG-CDF funded police facility said the major security challenges afflicting the constituency are alcoholism and drug abuse
He challenged police officers to move swiftly and combat the two vices before they destroy his constituents.
The MP cautioned individuals dealing in illicit liquor and bhang to stop as he will not relent in his fight and allow the twin vices to destroy the community.
He pledged to collaborate with the National Police Service to ensure althea gazzetted police stations in the constituency are properly constructed.
“We have Panpaper and Chekalini police stations which are gazzetted but there is nothing there. In Chimoi area the community endorsed establishment of a police station but nothing has been done,” he said, adding that police officers deserve good living and working conditions to be able to discharge their duties.
Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police John Gachomo who commissioned the Child Protection Unit on behalf of the Inspector General of Police thanked World Vision Kenya for the support.
He said the establishment of the unit within Matete Police Station is a clear demonstration of the deep commitment the national police service has in addressing issues to do with children welfare.
“When children are exposed to extreme environments they are likely to suffer severe harm, emotional pain and potential life-long damage to their mental and physical health.
“Further, a child who is separated from the family is at greater risk of conflicting with the law. Most children who break the law do it not on free will but due to a restricted environment”, he pointed out.
Gachomo who is also the NPS Director for Community Policing, Gender and Child protection said plans are underway to establish a child protection unit in each police station for purposes of providing an enabling environment for children in conflict with the law.
He said the NPS has also initiated specific capacity building programs to empower officers working in child protection units.
“This entails enhancing their ability to assess children at risk of abuse and taking immediate action to prevent child offences, protect child rights during investigation and presentation in courts of law,” he explained.
Gachomo appealed to sector stakeholders to support the NPS in protection of children rights and those of other vulnerable groups like women, the aged, the disabled and the marginalized.
World Vision Country Director Gilbert Kamanga said the new Sh.4.6 million unit is a fulfillment of a requirement of the current Kenyan Child Protection Policy that requires every police station to have a child protection unit.
He said the facility is important for the wellbeing of children in Matete because they will now have a place to be taken whenever their rights are violated.
“This facility will provide an enabling environment for support for those children with cases besides having space for both the police and the community to interact,” said Kamanga.
“We have cases where a child is brought to the police and gets abused within the police facility. This unit prevents that because people who will be manning it are officers trained specifically for that purpose,” he explained, adding that children will also not mix with other offenders.
Kamanga said the facility should be more of an outreach centre than a rehabilitation centre because their target is to have reduced cases of child abuse in the community.
He lauded Kenya’s child protection policy which provides room for community participation in child protection matters.
“Kenya is one of the countries with a vibrant community policing unit in Africa and within that unit there is a child protection unit, which we are partnering with.
“The collaboration between the community and the police is vital because the community members are the ones who know the offenders and can as well protect them and when they are part of the policing activities the problem is easily solved,” Kamanga explained.
Kakamega County Chief Officer for Social and Children Services, Culture and Gender Vivian Ayuma lauded World Vision Kenya for the new facility saying child protection is key for the future of the next generation.
She appealed to parents and care givers to take care of their children as they undergo difficult transition times noting that her department is handling many cases of child abuse.
“We shall be launching the County Children Protection Policy next week that will provide a framework to enable us undertake many children activities.
We are also championing back to school for teen mothers and we already have 60 champions one from all the wards who are back to school and we are using them as a voice for the initiative,” she said.
Ayuma revealed that the county government has allocated Sh.5million to equip a Child Rescue Centre to be established in Matete in collaboration with World Vision Kenya to act as a holding place for abused children when their cases are being handled.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait and Moses Wekesa
