ODM party leader Raila Odinga has asked Kenyans to stop the sad trend of missing, murdered children in society.
Raila said this as he marked the day of the African child. The Day of the African Child is marked on June 16 each year.
This year's theme is; 30 years after the adoption of the Charter: accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children.
“We marked the day of the African child against the backdrop of increasing heartbreaking reports of missing, murdered, harmed, and abused children in our country,” Raila said on Thursday.
“However hard life may be, we cannot turn our backs on our children. We need vigilance.”
Raila said Kenyans need to report suspicious activities early and immediately.
“Let’s end this sad trend. Let us look towards children's health and safety concerns and away from a policy of reuniting children with their birth parents without regard to prior abusiveness,” he said.
There have been many cases of children missing while others are being kidnapped never to return to their homes.
Mombasa county children’s coordinator Philip Nzenge said on Wednesday that parents have failed to bring up their children the right way.
“In Mombasa, poor parenting has been a great challenge. Parents have failed to bring up their children in the right way and they have proved it through their everyday conversations,” Nzenge said.
He said the community, culture and behaviour of residents have led to the use of drugs among young people.
The same day, police rescued a three-year-old girl - Michelle Kemunto - seven days after she went missing in Embakasi, Nairobi.
Embakasi subcounty police commander Francis Ngugi said the minor was rescued from her kidnappers at Tasia estate, a few kilometres from her parents' house in Pipeline estate.
Ngugi said the child was found in good health with a good Samaritan as a result of good collaboration between police officers, journalists and members of the public.
