Kenya has become extremely unkind to its children

 

Kenya has become extremely unkind to its children. Once seen as a society that nurtures and protects its young, we now live in a country where children are increasingly at risk, not only from accidents and disease but from violence, neglect, and systemic failure. Every day, stories emerge that shock the conscience: children dying in schools, being shot by police during demonstrations, sexually abused by relatives, or simply going missing. These are not isolated incidents, they are symptoms of a society that has consistently failed to prioritize its youngest citizens.

Tragic accidents highlight this systemic neglect. The Endarasha secondary school fire is a stark reminder of how inadequate safety measures continue to endanger students. Poor infrastructure, lack of fire drills, and insufficient oversight transform schools supposed sanctuaries of learning into sites of preventable tragedy. Similarly, traffic accidents claim the lives of children with alarming frequency. Overcrowded buses, reckless driving, and poorly maintained roads make children vulnerable to death even in moments meant to be routine. Each crash, each preventable death, is a glaring warning that the safety of children has not been taken seriously enough.

But physical accidents are only part of the picture. Violence inflicted directly upon children reveals an even deeper societal crisis. Police brutality during protests and public demonstrations has led to the deaths and injuries of school-age children. Tear-gassing schools, opening fire on young students, and treating children as political pawns reflects a horrifying disregard for life. Primary school children have been caught in chaos during demonstrations some paying with their lives while those responsible remain unpunished. These events raise fundamental questions about accountability: if the guardians of public order cannot protect children, then who can?

Sexual abuse and family violence compound the tragedy. Many children suffer at the hands of people they should trust most, uncles, family friends, and other close relatives. The repeated cases of rape and murder within families are not just individual crimes; they are indictments of a society that has failed to safeguard children from harm in the places they should feel safest. These incidents are made worse by the culture of silence, stigma, and lack of effective legal action. Too often, perpetrators walk free, and victims are left to navigate trauma without support.

The lack of justice is a recurring theme. Despite these preventable tragedies and acts of violence, very few cases result in arrests, firings, or systemic change. No government initiatives have been developed to comprehensively safeguard children. Schools remain unsafe, law enforcement continues to act with impunity, and regulatory mechanisms fail to protect those who are most vulnerable. The repeated phrase tusipoziba ufa tutashindwa kujenga ukuta is more relevant than ever. 

The consequences are immediate and long-term. Children grow up in fear, losing their sense of security and trust in the institutions meant to protect them. Parents live with constant anxiety, knowing that even school or home may not be safe. Communities bear the emotional and social cost of these losses, and the nation as a whole suffers when its youngest members are abandoned and harmed. A child’s death is not just a personal tragedy, it is a societal failure, a reflection of a country unable or unwilling to act decisively to protect the innocent.

Accountability must be non-negotiable. Those in positions of power whether in schools, law enforcement, or government must be held responsible when children are harmed. Systems must be put in place to prevent tragedies before they happen, not only to respond after it is too late. Infrastructure, safety protocols, reporting mechanisms, and strict enforcement of child protection laws are essential steps in rebuilding a culture of care. Above all, a societal mindset must emerge that places children at the center of public policy, recognizing that their lives are invaluable, not expendable.

Kenya has the talent, the resources, and the moral imperative to reverse this trend. But that requires courage: the courage to confront negligence, corruption, and complacency. It requires prioritizing children over political expedience or bureaucratic inertia. It demands honesty about the cracks in our society and a commitment to patch them before more young lives are lost.

Our children are not just the future, they are the present. The question is whether we, as a society, are willing to act decisively, to patch the cracks, and to finally build the wall that protects our most vulnerable.