By Bonface Mulyungi
As the world marked the International Missing Children’s Day, concern continues to grow over the rising number of missing children cases in Kenya, with the government now warning that an average of 23 children disappear every day.
A recent report by the government shows that between January 2025 and March 2026, Kenya recorded 10,581 child protection cases linked to missing and vulnerable children. The figures translate to nearly 6,500 cases annually, highlighting what authorities describe as a growing national crisis.
According to data from the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS) under the Directorate of Children Services, the country recorded 6,820 cases of abandoned children, 1,952 abduction cases, 173 trafficking incidents, and 1,636 missing children cases during the period under review.
The report further indicates that at least 2,328 children remain unaccounted for, with their whereabouts still unknown.
Principal Secretary for Children Services Carren Ageng’o said Nairobi County leads in the number of reported cases, followed by Nakuru, Kakamega, Homa Bay and Kiambu counties.
The government has now raised alarm over the increasing trend, prompting the Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs to introduce new measures aimed at strengthening child protection systems and improving response to missing children cases.
Speaking during the commemoration of International Missing Children’s Day, Cabinet Secretary for Gender and Children Affairs Hannah Cheptumo Wendot directed that all missing children cases be reported immediately, scrapping the long-held practice that required families to wait for 24 hours before making a report.
“We have said, do not wait for 24 hours. Report to the police and to the Children’s Department — whichever comes first,” said Cheptumo.
Principal Secretary Ageng’o emphasised the importance of involving both institutions in every case to improve tracking and follow-up efforts.
“When a case is reported at the Children’s Department, the government follows up to obtain an OB number, which is essential for tracking missing children cases,” she said.
Under the new framework, all cases involving missing children will now be jointly reported to both the Children’s Department and the police, with officers expected to respond promptly or face accountability.
“We have now deployed a multi-agency reporting system, and anyone who fails to follow up reported cases will be held accountable,” added Cheptumo.
Government institutions are also currently caring for more than 44,000 children whose parents or guardians have not yet been identified, further exposing the scale of the challenge facing child protection agencies in the country.
Several recent incidents continue to paint a grim picture of the crisis.
In one case, a two-year-old child from Kiuu in Githurai was allegedly kidnapped by a 15-year-old girl in exchange for a mobile phone before being rescued in Nairobi shortly afterward.
In Nakuru County, a 12-year-old pupil who had gone missing in the evening was later found dead. Investigations revealed that she had allegedly been defiled and strangled.
Elsewhere, two children aged two and three years from Kipkaren Estate disappeared and remain missing to date.
In another operation, detectives rescued 22 girls in Mombasa and Kilifi counties and arrested a 27-year-old suspect linked to alleged child trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Authorities say while some missing children are reunited with their families, others are found dead, while many disappear without a trace.
The government is now calling on Kenyans to embrace collective responsibility in protecting children, urging communities to remain vigilant and report cases of abuse, neglect, trafficking or disappearances immediately.
Members of the public have been encouraged to report incidents at the nearest police station or through the National Child Helpline 116.
Officials maintain that the first 24 to 48 hours after a child goes missing are critical in increasing the chances of rescue and reunification.
As Kenya joins the rest of the world in marking International Missing Children’s Day, stakeholders say ending the crisis will require stronger community involvement, faster response systems and collective action to ensure every child is protected.
