The Government has directed an immediate 90-day operation targeting perpetrators of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), child abduction, defilement and murder following a surge in crimes against children across Central Kenya. The intervention comes amid growing public concern over recent incidents reported in Nyeri, Murang’a and Tharaka Nithi counties, where several children have been abducted, assaulted and killed in disturbing circumstances.
Speaking after a high-level security and child protection meeting in Nyeri, Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services Hanna Wendot Cheptumo announced the immediate rollout of a 90-Day Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) aimed at accelerating investigations, protecting survivors and strengthening child safety systems.
She stated that the Government is determined to make the Central Region free from SGBV within the next 11 months through coordinated enforcement and community action. The announcement follows chilling reports from Murang’a County, where the bodies of two children; a boy believed to be 14 years old and a girl estimated to be nine years old, were recovered from Kiama River in Gatanga Sub-County on May 10, 2026.
In Tharaka Nithi County, authorities are also investigating the murder of a missing child whose body was discovered in Mukothima Sub-County. At the same time, Nyeri County has witnessed a sharp rise in cases of violence against children, prompting fears over what the Ministry termed as “a worrying trend involving violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation of children.”
On behalf of the Government, the CS conveyed condolences to affected families, describing the deaths as heartbreaking and unacceptable and stated that the DCI is undertaking investigations into all reported cases involving violence against children and any person found responsible will face the full force of the law.
“These incidents collectively point to a worrying trend involving violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation of children. The Government remains fully committed to protecting every child as guaranteed under Article 53 of the Constitution and the Children Act, 2022,” she stated.
Internal police statistics presented during the meeting paint a grim picture of the crisis facing children in the region. According to the data, 531 cases of SGBV and morality-related offences were reported between June 2025 and April 2026. Out of these, 356 were defilement cases. Nyeri County recorded the highest number of defilement cases at 93, followed by Kiambu with 87 and Murang’a with 75.
Authorities also disclosed that 515 cases remain pending before courts, 10 cases pending investigation and 6 cases pending arrest. Security officials now hope that the newly established regional multi agency team will help strengthen the previously weakened child protection efforts.
The multi-agency team will bring together the National Police Service, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Children Services officers, National Government Administration Officers, schools, health institutions and community stakeholders to ensure that offenders are apprehended and prosecuted successfully.
“The ministry continues to implement reforms under the Children Act, 2022, including the transition from institutional care towards strengthened family and community based care systems to ensure that every child grows up in a safe, secure and nurturing environment,” said CS Wendot.
Parents and guardians have been urged to monitor the movements of children closely, avoid leaving young children unattended and report suspicious individuals or unusual behaviour within their communities
In addition, members of the public have been encouraged to report cases of child abuse, violence or disappearance through the Toll-free Child Helpline 116 and the WhatsApp reporting