Parents to be prosecuted for neglect

Kalonzo Musyoka has cautioned parents against neglecting their children particularly by denying them education.

Mr. Musyoka warned that those parents who will not take their children to school risk being prosecuted as provided for in the children's Act 2003.

Speaking during the official launch and Re-Branding of Child Fund Kenya, formerly Christian Children's Fund (CCF), at Nduma Primary School in Kikuyu district on Monday, the VP urged parents to invest in education of their children irrespective of gender as a sure way of guaranteeing bright future.

He said the government is seriously addressing the challenges facing children in the country.

Mr. Musyoka cited abuse and neglect, poor health and nutrition, access to education, HIV/AIDS, and poverty as some of the challenges hindering children development.

The Vice President said Child fund Kenya in collaboration with local Community -Based Organizations (CBO) and government agencies have provided supplementary feeding, bursaries, and stipends for Early Childhood Development (ECD) caregivers and teachers.

He added that they have also constructed and rehabilitated classrooms, equipped learning centers, and facilitated access to health services, among other efforts.

Mr. Musyoka said with an estimated population of 38million, one fifth of whom are six years and younger and nearly half are below 15years of age, the challenge is a daunting one.

The Vice President applauded the Child Fund's focus on integrated community management of Childhood illness and nutrition and safe and neonatal health in order to reduce childhood mortality.

On the Harmonized Draft Constitution, Mr. Musyoka appealed to Kenyans to avoid over relying on views of political leaders but to instead take time to read and understand the document to enable them give informed opinions.

Vice President of the Child Fund International, African Region, Mr. Isam Ghanim, said the organization operations exists in six of the 8 provinces of the country catering for about 51,000 children at a cost of 16 million.

Mr. Isam thanked the Government of Kenya for supporting the fund to undertake its operations and re-stated that the organization was committed to supporting government services.

He said since the inception of the fund in 1938, the organization has spent over 5.2 billion dollars in support of children.

Mr. Ghanim said the re-branding of the organization's name will not change its mission but will only lay new strategies in delivery of services as well as collaboration with other partners.

Kikuyu MP Lewis Ngurai who is also an assistant minister for Nairobi Metropolitan thanked the funds outreach for supporting needy children by providing livelihoods for orphans and disadvantages children in the society.

He challenged leaders in the area to collaborate with such private organizations by finding other means of interventions to assist needy cases in the society.

On constitution, the MP rooted for the presidential system where people will have a chance to elect the head of state directly instead of relying on parliament to decide for them leadership.