Majengo youth leader Mohammed Hussein during a past event. [Photo/Maxwell Ngala]
Parents in Mombasa have been cautioned against allowing their kids to play on public beaches alone.Speaking during a youth and parents’ community forum at Majengo in Mombasa, Mohammed Hussein, a youth leader said failure by parents to accompany their children to the beach poses dangerous risks to the curious minors.Hussein said though children should be allowed to enjoy their social life, they should also get maximum protection and guidance while on holiday.He urged parents to exercise vigilance, noting that cases of kids drowning in the Indian Ocean have been reported in the neighbouring Kilifi County.“Not only children but also other locals above 18 years have been reported to have drowned in Kilifi beaches, we should be very cautious,” said Hussein.The Kilifi County disaster management team has reported over 10 deaths caused by drowning in the last two months.Hussein said a majority of children like visiting the Jomo Kenyatta public beach in Bamburi and the Shelly public beach in Likoni especially during the weekend.Hussein noted that children also risk being sexually molested when they visit public beaches alone.He appealed to parents to always protect their children while at home and whenever they visit public places.“The future of our children lies directly in our hands. We should practice safety measures and always be vigilant especially during this long November and December holidays,” he added.His sentiments were reiterated by Kisauni OCPD Christopher Rotich who urged parents to always accompany their kids whenever they visit public beaches.“Parents and guardians should take care of their children while visiting the beaches to avert any ugly incidences,” said Rotich.