Government seeks public input on Child Welfare Fund

GEOFREY WANG’ANYA-KNA

The Government is seeking public input from various stakeholders as it works to establish a Child Welfare Fund aimed at enhancing child protection services in the country.

In Kakamega, stakeholders raised concerns about accountability, equitable resource allocation, and implementation during a public forum on the proposed Child Welfare Fund Regulation 2026.

Duncan Ng’eno, Regional Coordinator for Children Services in the Western Region, emphasized the importance of the fund but cautioned against potential inequities in resource distribution if clear allocation criteria are not established.

Ng’eno noted that vulnerability levels vary significantly across counties and warned that a uniform allocation model could disadvantage areas with the greatest need.

“We must have a clear, data-driven formula for resource allocation. Without this, regions with the highest number of vulnerable children risk being underfunded,” he said.

Joyce Wamboko, an officer from the Department of Children Services in Kakamega, raised concerns over weak monitoring and accountability structures at the county level, stating that the success of the fund will largely depend on strong oversight mechanisms.

Wamboko emphasized that past social protection programmes have faced challenges due to gaps in tracking and reporting.

“If we do not strengthen accountability systems at the grassroots, the fund may not reach the intended beneficiaries. Monitoring and evaluation frameworks must be clearly defined in the regulations,” she said.

Lairuka Sindani, Assistant County Commissioner, who represented the County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha, highlighted coordination gaps between national and county governments, warning that overlapping mandates could hinder effective implementation.

The official called for a clearly defined intergovernmental framework to streamline roles and avoid duplication of efforts.

During her technical presentation, Loyce Anzigale from the State Department for Children Services, explained that the proposed regulations are designed to operationalize provisions of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, the Children Act, 2022, and the Public Finance Management Act.