NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 19 – ODM Leader Raila Odinga on Monday expressed concerns over an increasing number of children reported missing some of whom are later found abused, defiled, or murdered.
Raila called upon members of the public to take care of children and to safeguard them from imminent danger to end such horrific cases which have plagued the country.
He also called upon security agencies to protect children and women against violence, just days after the Director of Criminal Investigations arrested a serial killer, accused of brutally murdering five girls after assaulting and defiling them.
In another incident, a 20-year-old man was arraigned on Friday, July 16, after he confessed to have killed 13 children. The man identified as Masten Milimo Wanjala told police he committed the first murder when he was 15.
“I want to call upon the National Police Service to assure Kenyans that it is up to the task of protecting particularly children, girls and women. Police must assure Kenyans that an individual will not pluck and kill two, four or five children or girls before the ring is detected and crashed,” Odinga stated.
He also called upon the Judiciary to expedite dispensing justice when such cases are brought before them.
Odinga made the remarks even as Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai assured Kenyans that adequate security measures had been put in place to deal with rampant cases of killings and kidnapping of children.
Mutyambai gave the assurance as he responded to concerns raised by members of the public during his weekly interaction on social media dubbed ‘Engage the IG’.
The national police chief further cautioned parents and guardians to take care of their children and also encouraged them to educate them on basic security measures.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) also called upon the Kenyan government to employ additional measures aimed at protecting children.