A Children’s Magistrate has delivered a stinging rebuke to child protection agencies, warning that endless delays in court, are forcing child victims to grow up as witnesses, until they forget what happened to them.
Speaking during the launch of Children’s Services Month at the Kitale Law Courts, Trans Nzoia Children’s Magistrate, Caroline Njalale, said policies and laws alone were not saving children in villages.
“Our children do not eat policy, and they are not protected by Acts and policies in the village. We really need to check what we are doing as a multi-agency, to help children all over,” she said.
She revealed that some children go through lengthy, emotionally draining processes, before accessing justice, arriving in court already exhausted.
Njalale blamed delays in probation reports and other documents for keeping children longer in remand, and called for urgent partnerships.
“We cannot deal with children’s matters as a standalone office. We need to partner to help children,” she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by Justice Joseph Were, who said the Judiciary has now designated November as Children’s Services Month, to fast-track all children’s matters, while schools are closed.
“For a long time, children’s cases were taking too long in court. You would find that they become witnesses until they grow-up and start forgetting,” said Justice Were.
He said the target is now clear: all children’s cases must be concluded within three to six months.
“If one child is violated, the whole community is violated, and it would be sad if we do not do our diligence to bring justice to the child,” he added.
Trans Nzoia County Children’s Coordinator, Oscar Nalimae Wanjala, urged all agencies to play their part, warning that any delay amounts to violation of a child’s rights.
By Isaiah Nayika/Sandra Omondi
