The Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare has finalised a probe into a scandal where 41 children were dumped in a forest near Nakuru Town.
Presenting the report on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 committee chair Johnson Sakaja, he stated that though Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui denied that such an incident occurred, the committee had photos and documentary evidence of bribery and potential testimonies by county officials.
“On the night of February 6, 2019, 41 children were forcibly removed from the streets of Nakuru, out in the cell, later dumped in Chemasusu forest in groups of six. Five of them have never been found,” Sakaja stated.
The rounding up of the street children grabbed national headlines as it had come at a time Nakuru was in the process of being promoted to a city.
Senators have now suspended the town's city charter bid until investigations into the matter are completed and the county government demonstrates plans and efforts it has taken in addressing the plight of street families and making sure it has provisions for children in need of care and protection.
The house recommended that Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti takes up the matter reported under OB number 6972/2019 for investigation and conclusively finalize the case and report to the Senate within two months.
Sakaja also stated that officials adversely mentioned in the report, as having participated in the violation of the rights of the children be investigated and personally held accountable.
"These children have the same rights as my children, as your children, the children of Kenya. This matter can not be taken lightly. These children must be compensated,” Senator Sakaja added.
The recommendations were overwhelmingly supported by Senators who castigated the Nakuru County Government.
“What the county of Nakuru has done is absurd. That they could go and dump street children so that they could look good, to make Nakuru get the status of the city, it is criminal, it is a sin before God and they should never be forgiven,” Senator George Khaniri spoke.
“Let me be the first one to join Senator Sakaja and his team. I will not vote to allow a county that does not respect its citizens to be conferred into a city,” Senator Ledama ole Kina supported.
“All cities in the world including New York, Chicago, Nairobi and Johannesburg have street children. It's for that reason, there are certain responsibilities required of the County Government to deal with children,” Senator Kipchumba Murkomen added.
