THE children's department in Kilifi has vowed to crackdown on all children's homes and orphanages operating outside the specified guidelines. Kilifi county director of children Paul Kisavi said most homes are operating illegally.

"Kilifi town is leading with the highest number of children homes operating without legal documents. It is very sad to note that most children homes in this county don't address the needs of the children but use the children's needs as a way of making money," he said.

"Proprietors of the homes have built expensive houses for themselves as the orphans suffer." Kisavi was addressing participants at a child labour workshop organised by the Association of Media Women in Kenya and the International Labour Organisation in a Kilifi hotel.

Mutuku expressed fears that the children rights at the various children's homes and orphanages are being violated. He added that various homes in the area are under scrutiny and the department may be forced to shut them down once all legal measures have been considered.

"Some of these children homes are operating with a community based organisation certificate from the social services and no any other document.

"Most of the children homes do not have even bank accounts and all the funds are deposited in an individual's bank account which is wrong," added Mutuku. He said they should at least be registered with the registrar of societies.

"In Kilifi there is a serious cartel which has been suppressing the children in these homes. I want to issue a warning to them that their time is over and by February all these organizations operating outside the law shall be shut" he said.