NAIROBI, Kenya — Growing concern over missing children in Kenya has prompted renewed scrutiny of the country’s child protection systems after families, child welfare groups, public figures and authorities cited reports of disappearances, abductions, trafficking and abandonment across the country, according to official data and public statements released this year.
The issue has drawn attention following cases such as the disappearance of 17-year-old Ramsy Karani from his home in Kayole, Nairobi, and the death of 12-year-old Mercy Nyambura Mureithi in Nakuru County after she went missing while walking home from school.
Karani’s family appealed for information about his whereabouts after he disappeared from home.
“This is the first time this has happened. Ramsy never leaves the house, he is always indoors. We are asking for his return,” his mother, Doris Kamathi, said.
Data from Kenya’s Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS), cited by the State Department for Children Services, recorded 10,581 child protection cases between January 2025 and March 2026. The figures included 1,636 missing children, 1,952 abductions, 6,820 abandonment cases and 173 trafficking incidents.
Child welfare groups said the figures highlight vulnerabilities affecting children across the country.
In Sinendet village in Nakuru County, residents intensified discussions about child safety after authorities found the body of Mureithi, a Grade 6 pupil at Sinendet Primary School, following a search by relatives, community members and law enforcement officers.
Sinendet administrative chief Kiaraho Mwangi said the case prompted parents, teachers and local leaders to discuss stronger supervision of children and increased community vigilance.
George Onyango, founder of Promise Giving Children’s Home in Kayole, said prevention requires closer supervision of minors.
“Children below 17 years should not be left alone at any time,” Onyango said. “They should always be with an adult who is watching over them.”
Child welfare advocates said implementation of existing child protection laws remains uneven. They cited limited resources, delayed reporting and coordination challenges among agencies as factors that can affect investigations into missing children cases.
Organizations including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have also warned about online exploitation, grooming and trafficking networks that use social media and messaging platforms to target children.
The issue has also generated public debate. Bishop John Waunga, founder of Share the Love Centre Ministry in Murang’a County, criticized what he described as an inadequate response by authorities and called for stricter penalties for child-related crimes.
Media personality and gender equality advocate Janet Mbugua urged authorities and the public to treat the issue as a national concern.
“There are all these disturbing updates about children and the state in which they’ve been found. It should worry all of us,” Mbugua said.
For families of missing children, the issue remains deeply personal. Kamathi said the experience changed how she views reports of other disappearances.
“When I see reports of other missing children, my heart breaks because I know exactly what those parents are feeling,” she said.
Police, however, disputed claims that Kenya is experiencing an unprecedented surge in missing children cases.
Police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said social media users frequently recirculate old missing persons posters, resolved cases and, in some instances, AI-generated images, creating a misleading impression of a growing crisis.
“We do not have a surge in the cases of missing children in Kenya,” Nyaga said. “We’ve realized that some of the media being circulated are recycled.”
According to police records, authorities received 139 reports of missing children this year, compared with 754 cases in 2025 and 1,276 cases in 2024.
