The head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Coordination in President William Ruto’s government, Dennis Itumbi, has backed Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika’s strong-worded response to the shocking BBC exposé that laid bare the rampant child prostitution and trafficking in Mai Mahiu.

Replying to Governor Kihika’s Facebook post on Thursday, August 7, 2025, Itumbi responded to the governor’s statement with a simple yet significant reply: “Well noted and acted, Governor,” he wrote

His support comes in the wake of growing national outrage over the disturbing revelations featured in the BBC investigation, which exposed how girls as young as 12 are being trafficked, abused, and forced into sex work in the busy transit town of Mai Mahiu.

Governor Kihika, reacting to the exposé on his Facebook page on Wednesday, August 7 2025, described the situation as “a grave indictment of our collective moral fabric and institutional vigilance.” She called for urgent action from the Ministry of Interior and the County Security Committee to launch a full crackdown on the individuals and networks involved.

“As the Governor of Nakuru County and a mother, I am appalled that children as young as 12 are being lured, exploited, and abandoned in a vicious cycle of poverty, abuse, and neglect. This is not just a law enforcement issue; it is a moral and societal emergency,” she wrote

Kihika has since deployed emergency response teams to Mai Mahiu to begin rescue operations and provide psychosocial and medical support to the affected children. The county is also working with the education department to reintegrate rescued girls into schools.

Itumbi’s endorsement of the governor’s swift response has added fuel to the ongoing public debate online, with many Kenyans demanding accountability from state agencies and child protection groups that appear to have failed in their mandates.

How could this scale of abuse go unnoticed by security agencies and children’s rights organisations? Do poor children even have protection in this country? These are the questions many people are asking themselves after the BBC exposé.

Others called for long-term systemic changes, urging government institutions and community leaders to take a proactive stance against child exploitation beyond just reactive crackdowns.

As the conversation grows, Kihika’s strong position and the support it has received have brought the painful realities faced by vulnerable children into sharp national focus.