The rising number of street children in Samburu County is raising concern amid the caveat placed by the government on registration of new charitable children institutions.
The County Children Co-ordinator Jane Kabiro is now asking the county government to develop a children protection unit. Ms Kabiro also wants the county assembly to allocate funds for children related cases.
"We rescue children from early marriages and FGM but we have nowhere to take them," she said. The fate of more than 500 orphans and vulnerable children living in 11 different institutions in the county hangs in the balance as their licences are yet to be renewed.
The Department of Children Services, has stopped registering new charitable institutions or renew registration. "Three institutions are seeking registration while eight are already due for renewal.
We are not registering or renewing their registrations," said Kabiro. The department, she said, is facing challenges on where to place rescued children. Kabiro said adoption and kinship should be encouraged among the Samburu.
The number of street children in Maralal town has risen tremendously as institutions are said not to be admitting more. All the 11 institutions in Samburu are privately owned.
