Photo: Marie Frechon/UN SEVEN children whose parents belong to Kavonokya sect have died in the past two months in Kyuso district, Kitui county after their parents refused to take them to hospital. Kyuso DC Peter Maina yesterday said the parents were facing charges in Kyuso court for neglecting their children. The children succumbed to a bout of measles. Kavonokya sect adherents do not seek medical help citing their faith.
Last week the DC officiated the launch of Malezi Bora, an initiative geared towards protecting the health of children as well as advising parents on good nutrition. Under the programme, children will be immunised against measles and other communicable diseases.
"We are not against anybody's faith but those who abuse children's rights will face the law, it doesn't matter what sect they belong to. Children rights are safeguarded in the constitution and we will protect them," Maina said.
In the larger Mwingi district where pockets of Kavonokya adherents are found, government officers have been forced to intervene and forcefully take children on the verge of death to hospital. Elsewhere, a middle aged man was slashed to death by a gang on Monday night at Kaningo location in Tseikuru district.
Area Chief Mutemi Musyoka said the man was walking home at around 11.00pm after closing his shop when he was accosted by a gang wielding machetes. They slashed him several times before fleeing. The man died as he was being rushed to hospital.
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