By Alloys Musyoka
The judiciary will close down seven children homes in LungaLunga for allegedly participating in child trafficking, Kwale high court judge Lepares Naikuni has said.
The seven children homes, he said, are not registered and should be closed as quickly as possible.
“Why do you sustain a children’s home which is not registered if you are not doing illegal activities? We are sure they are doing child trafficking by taking them abroad without consent to do illegal activities there,” he added.
Naikuni said that the government will not allow child trafficking.
Vanga area, he said is among areas with high cases of violence against children warning that those found culpable will face the full force of the law.
He was speaking at Tsuini primary school in LungaLunga sub-county during the Msambweni law court and court user’s committee open day for children and end of service month and the beginning of 16 days of activism in the country.
This years’ theme is securing justice for every child: enhancing multiagency -collaboration, increasing budgetary allocation to combat child abuse.
“The other say I was at Migingo prison and I found out that 49 per cent of youth are there because of either defilement cases, incest, rape or indecent act,” he added.
Early marriages also, he said, are cases that continue to be recorded in courts that need to be dealt with warning those found impregnating underage girls that they will be jailed without mercy.
Naikuni also took issue with juvenile gang suspects that have continued to be arrested and remanded saying issues of parental negligence is a big problem.
He called on parents to ensure they take care of their children in ensuring the nation has youth who can help in nation building for development
“50 per cent of youth in prison are panga boys. Let us employ parental care to avoid such scenarios,” he urged.
He said that the mobile courts have been opened in Kinango and LungaLunga to ensure those from far flung areas get services.
Msambweni head of court station and principal magistrate Leah Kabaria warned locals against continuing to use kangaroo courts in cases touching children rights.
She said that although efforts have been put in place to ensure the number of cases goes down there are still more cases that are not reported and mostly solved by elders.
In 2024 Msambweni law court recorded 72 cases of children sexual violence while 27 cases of children displaced from their homes through early marriage and early pregnancy among other reasons.
In 2025 52 cases were recorded on sexual violence against children while 24 cases of children displaced from their homes through early marriage and early pregnancy among other reasons.
“We want to work together with the community’s civil society and all government agencies to ensure that no child right is violated and go without being reported,” she said.
Lungalunga member of parliament Chiforomodo Mangale called on stakeholders to play their role in protecting the child.
“Children are our greatest resources that must be safeguarded by all means for the country’s future,” he noted.
The MP said that as security, civil society and courts continue to put measures to protect children the political side is working to ensure the aspect of education is not left out by providing bursaries to school going children.
