Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned chiefs, village elders and families against settling defilement and gender-based violence cases at home, saying perpetrators must be reported to police and taken to court.
Speaking in Baringo on Sunday, the CS said some children were being abused by people expected to protect them, including teachers, relatives, fathers and other trusted adults.
“I want to warn all chiefs, assistant chiefs and village elders: do not allow anyone to say that a defilement or gender-based violence case should be settled at home. There should be no compromise,” he said.
Murkomen urged parents, particularly mothers, not to remain silent when children are abused, including where the alleged perpetrator is a family member.
“Mothers, especially, must not be silenced by relatives or even husbands. If your husband has abused your child, do not remain silent. Take the matter to the police and let the law take its course,” he said.
He said the abuse of children by people in positions of trust was particularly concerning.
“Some of the people abusing children are teachers, uncles, relatives, fathers, stepfathers and even people who are supposed to protect children,” he said. “The people who are expected to protect children are sometimes the ones taking advantage of them.”
Murkomen also called on parents to take greater responsibility for raising their children, warning against leaving child protection entirely to the state.
“Do not abdicate your responsibility to the state and allow your child to become a guest of the state,” he said.
He linked stronger families and parental involvement to efforts to tackle alcohol abuse, addiction and other social problems, saying parents should guide their children before intervention by police or other authorities becomes necessary.
The minister also directed Baringo security officials to intensify a crackdown on illicit alcohol, including products made using ethanol.
“I want to warn those involved in selling illicit alcohol that they must stop. We cannot allow people to manufacture and sell alcohol that harms our children and communities,” he said.
He directed the county commissioner and county police commander to act against people involved in transporting, stocking or selling illicit alcohol.
The warning comes amid continued concern over sexual violence and child abuse in Kenya with the 2026 Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics showing 7,154 people reported to have committed crimes against morality in 2025, a 6.6% decline from the previous year. Defilement accounted for 75.5% of those cases, or 5,401 reported offenders.
According to the State Department for Gender,531 cases of sexual and gender-based violence and morality-related offences were reported in Central Kenya between June 2025 and April 2026, including 356 defilement cases.