Murkomen: Not all missing children cases are abductions

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sought to clarify the nature of missing children cases reported across the country, saying not all involve abduction or criminal activity.

Murkomen said the term "missing children" is often broadly used to describe various situations in which a child cannot be immediately located by a parent or guardian.

According to the CS, some reported cases arise from family disputes, where one parent takes a child to live with relatives or other family members without informing the other parent.

“The word missing children, first of all, is not necessarily used technically to mean that a person has been stolen or abducted or whatever. Sometimes, yes, missing children are included when cases where one parent, having disagreed with another, took the children away or took them to their grandmother or somewhere like that,” he said during an interview at Citizen.

Murkomen said all reported cases of missing children are investigated by the police and that in most instances, the children are eventually accounted for.

“All cases of missing children, especially when they’re reported, are investigated by the police, and in most cases, they are accounted for.”

He said some children leave home voluntarily due to challenges within their families and are later found living in urban centres or on the streets.

Many of these children, he said, are successfully reunited with their families through the efforts of authorities and child welfare agencies.

The CS also highlighted the impact of social and economic challenges on children's welfare, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas.

He said some children are abandoned by their families and end up living on the streets or finding shelter in children's homes.

"Sadly, because of social challenges, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, many children are left by their families," Murkomen said.

In some cases, he added, parents who learn that their children are safe in children's homes or other care facilities are reluctant to come forward or reveal their identities.

Murkomen reiterated the government's commitment to investigating all reports involving missing children and ensuring the safety and welfare of affected minors.

On May 26, the National Police Service dismissed claims that Kenya is experiencing a surge in missing children cases, saying increased public awareness, social media activity, and fake online content are creating the impression of a growing crisis.

Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said while cases of missing children continue to be reported, official police data does not support claims of a sudden spike.

According to him, the rise in online conversations about missing children is largely due to a more informed and conscious public as well as faster dissemination of information through social media platforms.

“We really don’t have a surge as it has been portrayed. We are now living in a world that is getting much more aware and much more conscious. Social media today is playing a bigger role in informing and even in news-making,” he said.

Muchiri said police investigations have also established that some of the videos and clips circulating online were either recycled from previous incidents or manipulated using artificial intelligence tools.

He warned that the spread of such content risks creating unnecessary panic among Kenyans and giving the false impression that the country is facing an emergency involving missing children.