Parliament has summoned Gender CS Hannah Cheptumo and Police
IG Douglas Kanja to explain the government's response to the growing crisis of
missing children.
The move comes as both the Senate and National Assembly
raised concerns over increasing cases of child disappearances across the
country.
The legislators are warning that the situation has reached
crisis levels and requires immediate intervention.
According to data from the Child Protection Information
Management System, 10,581 child protection cases linked to missing and
vulnerable children were recorded between January 2025 and March 2026.
The figures include 6,820 cases of child abandonment, 1,952
abductions, 173 incidents of child trafficking and 1,636 cases classified as
missing children.
Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana, who sought a statement in
the Senate, said Kenya is losing an average of 23 children every day, a trend
she described as a national emergency.
"The pain endured by families searching for their loved
ones is immeasurable and the urgency to act cannot be overstated. This matter
is not only about statistics but about the lives of innocent children whose
futures have been cut short or remain uncertain," Kibwana said.
She asked the Senate Labour and Social Welfare Committee to
investigate the rise in missing children cases and establish the effectiveness
of existing child protection mechanisms.
Kibwana cited several recent cases that have shocked the
country, including five-year-old Travis Wanjohi and one-year-old Mary Wanjiru
from Nyeri county.
The two were found dead on March 30 and April 10 this year
respectively after being reported missing.
She also highlighted the disappearance of five-year-old
autistic child Luther Mwangi from Dandora, Nairobi, who went missing on April
15 and remains unaccounted for.
Other unresolved cases include those of Neville Kibui from
Kangemi and Precious Jepchirchir from Nandi county, who disappeared in 2025 and
have never been found.
The senator wants the committee to provide an annual
breakdown of missing children cases reported to the State Department for
Children's Services and the National Police Service from 2021 to date.
She further called for updates on investigations into cases
where missing children were later found dead.
The committee has also been tasked with examining existing
protocols for responding to reports of missing children and assessing
coordination between police officers, children's departments, schools,
hospitals and local administrators.
The issue sparked an emotional debate in the Senate, with
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna accusing the government of failing in its
responsibility to protect children.
"We have to be honest. It is the responsibility of the
state to protect these children. They have failed in that particular
responsibility," Sifuna said.
He questioned why security agencies equipped with
sophisticated surveillance capabilities appear unable to trace missing children
before tragedy strikes.
"The country is mourning all over the place. How is it
possible that they follow us around, but cannot track and find the children
that have been taken away before they are murdered?" he posed.
Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda expressed concern over
reports that children are increasingly being used by criminal syndicates to
lure or abduct younger victims.
"Parents, guardians and the broader community are
running away from their core responsibility of protecting vulnerable minors.
The country cannot go on like this," she said.
Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly echoed similar
concerns, demanding answers from security agencies over the growing number of
disappearances.
Kisii Woman Representative Dorice Donya sought a statement
from the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security,
warning that the trend points to possible trafficking, abduction and
exploitation networks targeting children.
"The growing number of children reported missing in
recent months has caused widespread fear, anxiety and outrage among Kenyan
families," she told the House.
Donya questioned whether existing child protection systems
are functioning effectively and whether law enforcement agencies are responding
swiftly enough when reports of missing children are made.
She asked the government to disclose how many children have
been reported missing over the past year, how many have been traced and
reunited with their families, and what measures are in place to combat child
trafficking and abductions.
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo backed the request, describing
the reported figures as deeply troubling and calling for urgent investigations.
"As a child protection expert, this is an issue I have
spoken about before. There is a growing concern in this nation that the number of
children who are disappearing is actually very alarming," she said.
Odhiambo cautioned against speculation regarding the causes
of the disappearances, saying authorities must establish the facts through
thorough investigations.
