The Judiciary in Kisii County has cited staff shortages as a key reason for delays in the resolution of children’s matters in court, raising concerns about access to timely justice for minors.
Speaking during the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour at Itierio grounds in Kisii South Sub County, Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Omwanza of the Kisii Law Courts highlighted the pressing challenge of insufficient judicial officers. He noted that although the law requires that children’s matters be concluded within six months, this timeline is often exceeded due to the high workload and limited personnel.
“The law demands that any children’s matter should be processed within six months. Unfortunately, the cases take longer than that because we are few and cannot manage the case workload,” said Omwanza.
He also expressed concern over the reluctance of community members to provide evidence in court, which often results in cases being withdrawn or dismissed. Omwanza urged residents to come forward and testify in children-related cases to support the judicial process and ensure justice is served.
Duncan Chando, the National Project Officer for the Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Africa (ACCEL Africa) project, noted that child labour remains widespread in Kisii, particularly in the tea and coffee sectors. He called for a collaborative approach to address the issue, emphasizing the need for community involvement and awareness.
“Let us unite as a society and partners so that we fasten all the processes to ensure that we eradicate child labour,” Chando said.
The ACCEL Africa project, spearheaded by the International Labour Organization (ILO), is being implemented in Kisii, Kericho, Nyeri, and Meru counties to eliminate child labour from agricultural supply chains.
According to the June 2025 Child Labour Global Estimates by ILO and UNICEF, 138 million children globally are still engaged in child labour, with over 54 million involved in hazardous work. Agriculture accounts for nearly 70 percent of these cases, especially in rural areas.
Kisii County Director of Children Services, Patrick Awino, emphasized the complexity of children’s matters and the importance of working with child protection volunteers to identify and report abuse at the grassroots level.
World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on June 12 to raise awareness and push for an end to child exploitation.
