According to Section 30 of the Children’s Act 2022, the duties and responsibilities of a child as per the law are to (a) work for the cohesion of the family; (b) respect his parents, superiors and elders at all times and assist them in case of need provided that the child’s best interest shall remain paramount; (c) serve his national community by placing his physical and intellectual abilities at its service; (d) preserve and strengthen social and national solidarity; (e) preserve and strengthen the positive cultural values of his community in his relations with other members of that community; (f) attend school unless prevented by factors beyond their ability; (g) not discriminate against other children on account of ethnicity, race, disability, gender, social status or other grounds; (h) protect the environment; (i) not abuse or harm other children; and (j) not destroy any property.
The parental responsibilities under section 31 sub-section (2) of the same Act (1) include (a) the duty to maintain the child and, in particular, to provide the child with (i) basic nutrition; (ii) shelter; (iii) water and sanitation facilities; (iv) clothing; (v) medical care, including immunization; (vi) basic education; and (vii) general guidance, social conduct and moral values; (b) the duty to protect the child from neglect, abuse, discrimination or other differential treatment; (c) the duty to— (i) provide parental guidance in religious, moral, social, cultural and other values that are not harmful to the child; (ii) determine the name of the child; (iii) procure registration of the birth of his or her child; (iv) appoint a legal guardian in respect of the child; (v) receive, recover and otherwise deal with the property of the child for the benefit, and in the best interests, of the child; (vi) facilitate or restrict the migration of the child from or within Kenya; (vii) upon the death of the child, to arrange for the burial, cremation of the child or any other acceptable method of interment; and (d) the duty to ensure that, during the temporary absence of the parent or guardian, the child shall be committed to the care of a fit person.
The law therefore is very clear about what the child can do and what protections have been provided. Caregivers, parents and the children should be aware.