Painful and Unacceptable”: CS Cheptumo Launches 90-Day Crackdown After Shocking Rise in Child Killings and Abuse
Hanna Wendot Cheptumo has launched an urgent 90-day government operation targeting violence against children in Central Kenya following a series of disturbing incidents that have sparked national outrage.
The Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services announced the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) after a high-level Central Region Security and Child Protection meeting held on May 14, amid growing alarm over cases reported in Nyeri, Murang’a and Tharaka Nithi counties.
The emergency intervention comes after the tragic recovery of two children’s bodies from the Kiama River in Gatanga Sub-County, Murang’a County, as well as another child murder case under investigation in Mukothima, Tharaka Nithi County.
In a strongly worded statement, Cheptumo described the incidents as “painful, distressing and unacceptable,” warning that they point to a dangerous trend of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation targeting children.
“The Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services is deeply saddened by the recent incidents involving violence against children reported in Nyeri, Murang’a and Tharaka Nithi counties,” the CS said.
Authorities are currently monitoring investigations into the Murang’a tragedy, where the bodies of a boy believed to be around 14 years old and a girl estimated to be nine years old were discovered in Kiama River on May 10.
Meanwhile, detectives in Tharaka Nithi are probing the circumstances surrounding the killing of another missing child whose body was recovered in Mukothima.
Cheptumo said the recent cases have exposed serious gaps in child protection systems and demanded immediate action from all government agencies.
“The loss of innocent children is painful, distressing and unacceptable. These incidents collectively point to a worrying trend involving violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation of children,” she stated.
She reaffirmed the government’s constitutional obligation to safeguard children under Article 53 of the Constitution and the Children’s Act, adding that security and child protection agencies had now been placed on heightened alert.
Under the 90-day operation, the Ministry has intensified coordination between the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, child protection officers, schools, community security teams and health institutions to improve surveillance, emergency response and case management.
The CS also revealed that the government is fast-tracking the operationalisation of a 24-hour national child helpline and a dedicated WhatsApp reporting platform aimed at enabling faster reporting of abuse cases.
In a further escalation of the response, Cheptumo announced that a major multisector meeting will be convened on May 22 to examine the root causes behind the surge in violence cases and recommend urgent interventions.
The meeting is expected to bring together officials from the ministries of Interior, Education, Health and Gender, alongside the Judiciary, religious leaders, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, county governments and community-based organisations.
Cheptumo has now directed all relevant state agencies to work towards declaring the Central Region free from sexual and gender-based violence within the next 11 months through intensified prevention campaigns, law enforcement and community mobilisation.
The alarming figures released by the Ministry paint a grim picture of the crisis.
According to official data, 531 violence-related cases have been reported across the region, with 515 currently pending before courts, 10 under active investigation and six suspects yet to be arrested.
The Ministry also disclosed that 680 suicide cases have been reported, raising fresh concerns over mental health, family breakdown and rising levels of violence affecting both children and adults.
Officials say the government’s latest intervention is intended to restore public confidence and prevent further tragedies as pressure mounts on authorities to confront the escalating crisis.
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