Rising missing children cases spark concern over trafficking and abuse in Kenya

Concerns are growing over the safety of children in Kenya after officials reported an increase in missing children cases linked to trafficking, sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation, pointing to weaknesses in protection systems despite existing laws.

Deputy Director of the Directorate of Children Services Philip Nzenge said the situation has changed over time, noting that communities were once more protective of children compared to the present day.

Speaking on Radio Generation on Thursday, Nzenge said societal changes have made cases of missing children a major concern, unlike in the past when communities collectively looked after children.

"Initially, a long time ago, we couldn't talk of a missing child, but now it has become a serious issue," he said. "There are so many evils taking place, including abuse, trafficking and sexual exploitation."

He warned that children who go missing are exposed to serious harm and urged authorities to respond quickly whenever such cases are reported.

Nzenge said Kenya already has strong child protection laws, pointing to Article 53 of the Constitution and the Children Act 2022 as key safeguards.

"Children's rights are quite robust. I think we rank very highly in Africa as far as laws to protect children are concerned," he said. "The gap is implementation and support for the law to be followed."

He explained that the Children Act 2022 strengthened child protection systems by expanding the powers of children’s officers and improving procedures for tracing missing and separated children. He added that the law also allows faster court action when a child’s safety is at risk.

According to him, the fight against child trafficking requires close cooperation between government agencies, law enforcement, civil society groups and communities.

"You cannot care for a child alone," he said. "All agencies and stakeholders must work together towards the important goal of child protection."

Nzenge also revealed that early government data shows a continued rise in reports of missing children across the country, even as officials caution against drawing final conclusions before full analysis is completed.

He pointed to preliminary figures collected between June 1 and June 12, which recorded 63 reported cases of missing children.

"When you get this data, you have to analyse what is really happening and what interventions should be done," he said.

He noted that children aged between 14 and 17 years form a large share of reported cases, often linked to social and economic pressures. However, he raised particular concern about younger children.

"The most vulnerable are children below five years," he said. "A two-year-old child cannot run away. That one is abducted."

Nzenge added that early findings show girls account for the majority of missing children reports, pointing to the need for targeted protection measures.

Broader government records from the State Department for Children Services show that 10,581 child protection cases were recorded between January 2025 and March 2026. The cases include 1,636 missing children reports, 1,952 abductions, 6,820 cases of abandonment and 173 trafficking incidents.

Authorities say 78 percent of the cases have been resolved through rescue efforts and family reunification, while 22 percent remain unresolved.