6,841 Children Reported Missing in 10 Months

At least 6,841 children were reported missing in Kenya in the last 10 months alone according to the data from the government.

This was revealed by Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore during the commemoration of International Missing Children Day yesterday. She added that 1,296 have been reunited with their families so far.

However, she said, the number of missing children is bigger as many cases go unreported

“A missing child can be the toughest nightmare that a parent can bear. Whereas we imagine how hard it can be to have a missing child, it is a reality that a total of 6,841 children were reported missing between July 2022 to May 2023 and these are just but the reported cases,” she said in a statement.

“This day presents the opportunity to remind ourselves of the many children who are yet to be traced and further enable us to celebrate our children who have been found including the 1,296 children that were reunited with their parents and caregivers.”

The CS noted that the affected families go through a lot of psychological torture when their children go missing.

She added that people who prey on children are evolving every day as many children have gone missing from their homes, neighborhoods, schools or institutions of care.

International Missing Children Day is observed on May 25 every year.

The theme for this year was ‘Strengthening family and community care to prevent and respond to cases of Missing and Found Children’.

The theme underscores the role of the family and the community in ensuring the safety and well-being of our children.