A public participation forum on the Draft Public Finance Management (Child Welfare Fund) Regulations, 2026, bringing together stakeholders from Garissa, Wajir, Mandera and Tana River counties, was held on Thursday as part of nationwide consultations on the proposed framework.
The engagement, organised by the National Treasury and Economic Planning in collaboration with the State Department for Children’s Services, provided a platform for residents and key stakeholders to review and give input on regulations that will guide the establishment and management of the Child Welfare Fund.
Participants at the meeting included community leaders, civil society organisations, child welfare advocates, children, guardians, government officials and members of the public drawn from Garissa County, Wajir County, Mandera County and Tana River County.
The proposed fund is anchored in Section 12(7) of the Children Act 2022 and seeks to operationalise financial support systems to promote children’s rights as guaranteed under Article 53 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
The initiative is intended to strengthen protection systems for vulnerable children by supporting family- and community-based care arrangements instead of institutional placement.
The fund is expected to meet reasonable expenses related to child welfare, with priority support directed to foster parents, guardians, kinship caregivers, child-headed households, children in supported independent living arrangements, those under Kafaalah arrangements and homeless children.
According to the draft regulations, the framework will define governance structures, administrative processes, funding sources, disbursement procedures, monitoring mechanisms and accountability measures for the fund.
The government has proposed an initial allocation of about Sh2 billion in the 2026/27 financial year to support the programme.
The forum in Garissa is part of a series of in-person consultations taking place across the country, including earlier engagements in Nairobi and Mombasa.
During the discussions, participants highlighted the unique vulnerabilities faced by children in arid and semi-arid land (ASAL) counties, including poverty, family separation, malnutrition risks and limited access to social services.
Mohamed Ahmed, a stakeholder emphasised the need for transparent implementation mechanisms and culturally sensitive approaches that take into account local community structures and caregiving practices.
The National Treasury noted that although the main written submission deadline for memoranda was March 9, the consultative forums remain important platforms for dialogue and stakeholder engagement.
The Ministry encouraged continued public input, adding that the draft regulations, explanatory memorandum and regulatory impact statement are available on the Treasury website for further review.
The consultation process is aimed at strengthening child protection systems, promoting family-based care and ensuring effective and accountable use of resources dedicated to children’s welfare.
