By Hassan Wekesa - Editor
Kenya, 3 December 2025 - The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has warmly welcomed the directive by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration that all defilement cases must now go through full criminal prosecution.
Mediation, withdrawal, and informal settlements are strictly prohibited.
NGEC in a statement on Wednesday said the directive is a vital step towards protecting children from sexual violence and promised to offer the much needed assistance.
As the world continues to observe 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, NGEC Chairperson Rehema Jaldesa stressed that Kenya has a constitutional duty to safeguard the dignity, safety, and equality of every child.
"The Commission will continue working with the National Police Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, county governments and community structures to promote timely reporting and proper handling of all defilement cases," Ms Jaldesa said.
Under the Sexual Offences Act, defilement is a grave criminal offence carrying mandatory penalties.
The new policy makes clear that such violations cannot be negotiated privately.
Full prosecution, the Commission argues, will ensure that survivors receive justice, holds perpetrators accountable, and restores public trust in the country’s law-enforcement and judicial institutions.
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The directive comes amid a worrying increase in reported defilement cases across several regions.
It calls for coordinated action among police, prosecutors, county governments, and community leaders to break the cycle of impunity.
For years, some communities have attempted to resolve defilement cases through traditional mediation or family agreements—an approach that often silences victims, exposes children to further trauma, and undermines the rule of law.
The Ministry’s order puts an unequivocal end to such practices.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen warned communities against any such local arrangements to solve defilement matters. One county that was warned is Lamu.
CS Murkomen was speaking during the launch of Jukwaa La Usalama Report at State House, Nairobi.
The NGEC, in line with its mandate to promote gender equality and protect vulnerable groups, says the policy upholds the principle of the child’s best interests and the State’s obligation to provide effective remedies.
The Commission has pledged to step up its efforts, vowing to strengthen monitoring of defilement cases, roll out wider public-awareness campaigns and bolster preventive programmes across the country, all aimed at guaranteeing that every Kenyan child can grow up free from the threat of sexual violence, fully protected and empowered to realise their potential.
