Nakuru Human Rights Network Executive Director Agnes Mwamburi said cases of child neglect were on the rise in the town, and more prevalent at the informal settlements, and recently they have noted peri-urban parents sending their children to town to beg and scavenge for food from dumpsites.
The group in Nakuru County has warned parents who neglect their children that action would be taken against them because children’s rights were sacrosanct.
However, she said despite the economic hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic, those who violate children’s rights would be arrested and prosecuted in addition to having their children taken away.
Ms. Mwamburi said the cases were prevalent among parents who sell chang’aa and other illicit brews.
She issued the warning after presenting needy families at the Kwa Rhonda informal settlement areas with food baskets donated by various well-wishers.
In addition, she said there were many sympathetic locals willing to assist the needy. However, they get discouraged when they realize the recipients don’t take their responsibilities seriously.
“Once we have donated food and clothes, we expect the parents to prepare the meals and wash their children’s clothes, but it’s disheartening when we revisit and find the situation worse than our previous donations,” she said.
Mwamburi urged young girls in the informal settlement areas to take their education seriously and pull their parents out of poverty instead of making the usual mistake of getting pregnant and dropping out of school.
She commended the government for the free primary education and the constituency development funds that have contributed a great deal in keeping a number of children at school.
She noted that apart from the knowledge that children gained from schools, it gives them a chance to grow under protected environments, and the ones who pick positive morals become better citizens.
By Veronica Bosibori
