A Jua-kali artisan identified as James Mwangi in Thika Sub- county have been summoned by Thika children’s office after his former girlfriend asked the children’s department to help her get back her child whom she was separated from five years ago.
According to the young lady Joyce Mumbi, a second year at Kenyatta University, the father to the child forcefully took her child from her after they had a conflict and since then it has been five years and the young lady has been trying her best to get the custody of her child until when she was advised to seek help from the children’s department.
Mumbi was allegedly dispossessed of the child’s custody after the father to the minor forcefully took the child to his mother for care. She said that since then the father has been blocking her from seeing the child.
Speaking to the press inThika town on Thursday, area Children’s’ Officer, Rebecca Kariuki said it was against the children’s Act 2010 for children to receive foster care when their parents are able to fend for them.
Kariuki said her department’s efforts to reach James Mwangi, have been unsuccessful since he turns away from the summons issued by the department.
“Despite Mumbi coming to our offices, Mwangi has refused to do the same. He might fear to being arrested but we are not ready for court battles if we can strike a consensus," said Kariuki.
“If he does not come, we have no option but to give orders that the child be given to Mumbi as we cannot keep on depriving the infant of its parental care,” she added.