Mau Summit MCA Joseph Ngware has asked residents to shun subjecting their children to child labour.
Speaking at the Kikopey trading centre on Sunday where he made a stop-over while on his monthly meet the people tours, Ngware said the vice was slowly but steadily taking root in the area.
“Why should we involve our children in businesses at a tender age instead of ensuring that they acquire education?” he wondered.
The ward presentative further noted that his office will liaise with the local administration to ensure that stiff measures are taken against such parents.
“Child labour is going contrary to the law and is punishable, I am sure a majority of you know that but go ahead to assume the law. This time round we are not going to spare anybody,” he stated.
The area is rich in milk and honey where traders make use of the busy Nakuru-Naivasha highway to sell their products to travellers.
With the government having announced an official closure of schools starting Monday, Ngware sent a warning saying the strike should not be used to involve children in such businesses.
“We are going to make unannounced swoops at different centres and parents who will be found involving their school going children in unwanted activities will be arrested,” he warned.
County Education Executive Francis Mathea said child labour is a vice that has continued to keep children out of class in rural parts of Nakuru.
“We are trying to work on it though poverty and hard conditions of living are posing a real challenge especially in the remote areas,” he said when contacted.
He revealed that the county was formulating an educational outreach programme aimed at educating parents on the long term effects of child labour in all sub-counties.