Two people were killed in two separate fire incidents in Nairobi and Limuru.
The deceased include a minor aged two who was among 40 children at a private children’s home.
During the incident in Dagoretti, Nairobi, 39 other children were evacuated, police said. The fire broke out at Mary Faith children’s home along Ngotho Road.
Police said there were 40 children at the home at the time of the Saturday incident.
This affected one of the dormitories where the children were. Property of unknown value was destroyed in the incident.
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Police said they are yet to establish the cause of the fire at the children’s home. Detectives visited the scene on Sunday and Monday as part of the probe into the incident.
Other experts including those from the children’s department also visited the facility.
The government plans to abolish all children’s homes and orphanages that are privately owned, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore said last week.
Bore said only government-owned homes, which are under the Child Welfare Society of Kenya will be allowed to operate.
She noted that private homes have been avenues for child trafficking.
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“The reason why we are closing them up is because we have been given directions under the Children’s Act that the private homes should be closed. They have also been routes for child trafficking, so the government wants us to retain the institutions that we have under the Child Welfare Society of Kenya,” Bore stated.
She said the government will implement the changes within a period spanning eight years.
“In the next eight years, those private homes will not exist. We need to prepare in order to absorb those children that will come from private homes,” she said.
The Children’s Act is also aimed at supporting the rights of children to grow up in families and communities.
Data from the Social Protection Department showed that there are 45,000 -50,000 children living in about 855 private charitable children’s institutions and others living in government-run institutions as of November 2022.
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The second victim of fire was a 64-year-old man who was killed in a fire incident in Kamandura village, Limuru, Kiambu County.
Police said Joseph Munyaka Kimani was burnt beyond recognition in the incident on Sunday.
Several structures were burnt and destroyed during the incident.
This left many homeless. Police were called to the scene and moved the body to the mortuary. The cause of the incident is yet to be established.
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