Charles Kanjama calls for tougher anti-trafficking laws to protect children
By Faith Lagat, May 25, 2026The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Charles Kanjama has called for urgent legislative reforms to strengthen anti-trafficking laws and improve protection for children amid rising cases of disappearances across the country.
Speaking on International Missing Children’s Day on May 25, 2026, Kanjama described the growing number of missing children cases as a “constitutional emergency” requiring immediate national attention.
“Every missing child is a constitutional emergency. Article 53 imposes a direct obligation on the State to protect children from abuse, exploitation, trafficking, neglect and violence,” he posted on X.
Kanjama, who is the president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), urged the government to overhaul regional anti-trafficking frameworks and introduce mandatory real-time tracking systems for reported missing minors. He also called on citizens, guardians and communities to take collective responsibility in protecting children.
“The Law Society of Kenya stands ready to deploy its legal machinery to champion legislative reforms and enforce administrative accountability across child protection organs,” he stated.
Recent disappearance cases raise national concern
His remarks come amid growing public concern over recent cases involving missing and abducted children. Some incidents have attracted national attention through social media campaigns and public appeals.
Sixteen-year-old Kenya High School student Joy Wanjiru Gathigia disappeared for more than five weeks during the April 2026 school holidays before she was later found alive in Thika.
In West Pokot, the kidnapping and killing of Brighton Kibet sparked outrage, with investigators probing possible links to ritual killings and organ trafficking.
In Nyeri County, the body of nine-year-old Shantel Waruguru Kagema was discovered in a pit latrine, intensifying concerns over child safety.
Authorities also rescued a three-year-old child in Malindi shortly before he was reportedly smuggled across the Kenya-Tanzania border, exposing suspected trafficking networks operating within the region.
Government agencies intensify child protection efforts
Official figures from the State Department for Children Services show thousands of child protection cases were reported between January 2025 and March 2026, including incidents involving abduction and trafficking.
Child protection organisations have warned that the actual number could be higher due to underreporting, weak coordination among agencies and reluctance by some families to report disappearances. Experts have linked the cases to factors including human trafficking, online exploitation, domestic violence, poverty and child labour.
The government has increased public awareness campaigns and strengthened reporting mechanisms through the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Child Helpline 116 and local children’s offices. On May 12, 2025, the State Department for Children Services also circulated posters of missing children to seek public assistance.
Kanjama said the country must strengthen laws, improve response systems and increase public vigilance to protect better children and support affected families.