Cases of child neglect in Kiambu County are on the rise despite sensitisation campaigns aimed at educating parents on collective responsibility towards their children.
Kiambu County Principal Children’s Coordinator Mong'are Mwambi has said that he receives about 20 cases of child neglect monthly a figure that was gradually increasing with most cases going unreported in the far-flung villages.
The officer who spoke from his office on Monday said that majority of parents accused of child neglect were men who leave the responsibility of raising their children to the women in the villages as they move to towns in search of jobs and modern amenities.
“Most of the cases we receive here are reported by wives who have been abandoned by their husbands. Most of them are polygamous and sire children but abdicate their duty of raising and providing for them. We also have a few cases where the children themselves come and report their parents for not paying their school fees,” he added.
According to Mwambi, child neglect is a major crime that has dire consequences. He called upon all parents in the area to exercise parental responsibility and take good care of their children as they deserve good treatment.
He further urged all parents to take their children to school and warned those who abandon their responsibilities that they would be reported and arrested for child neglect.