Muhoroni Deputy County Commissioner Kipkech Lotiata has warned parents in the area against offering their children to be hired for paid labour.
Lotiatia said parents involved in such activities will be arrested and prosecuted.
He said the government is offering free primary education and hence all school going children should attend school without fail.
“With the help of chiefs and their assistants, we will ensure all children attend school and also arrest parents who are using their children for selfish gains,” he warned.
Muhoroni Sub County which is a sugar belt area is notorious for hiring children to work in sugar plantations at a cheap labour.
Most duties assigned to the children are also too heavy as the minors are made to perform tasks that require adult individuals.
The administrator handed down the warning yesterday during a farmers’ consultative meeting in Ahero town.
He added that the government is committed to providing children with quality education for a better future and has put in place robust laws and policies that guarantee the rights of the children in the Country.
He called on residents to report any case of exploitation of children to the law enforcement agencies for action adding that the government has sensitized the law enforcement agents to treat such cases with alacrity.
The government further introduced and approved the Education law that criminalises failure by parents to take children to school where they risk a jail term of one year or a fine of shillings 100,000 if they did not take their children to school.
By John Ochanda
