Nairobi: A Homabay-based magistrate, Jacinta Orwa, has issued a warning to local residents, urging them not to disinherit orphaned children from the properties of their deceased parents.

According to Kenya News Agency, Jacinta Orwa challenged area chiefs to maintain accurate inventories of the deceased's dependents, particularly during succession processes. She pointed out the frequent cases where relatives like uncles and aunts deprive orphaned children of their rightful inheritance, a problem prevalent not only in Homabay County but across the nation.

Orwa emphasized the role of justice stakeholders in ensuring that these children receive their due inheritance. She urged chiefs to provide complete lists of all dependents, including married daughters, whenever required. The decision of who the beneficiaries are should rest with judges or magistrates, not chiefs, she stated, while speaking at Oyugi's law court open day marking the children service month.

The magistrate highlighted that many children end up in orphanages not by choice but due to unfortunate circumstances, stressing the importance of connecting them back to their communities. She called on the Children Officer and other stakeholders to ensure proper registration of safe homes, asserting that unregistered homes should be closed to prevent child abuse.

Orwa also addressed the need for enhanced collaboration among agencies and increased budget allocations to combat child abuse, in line with the theme, 'Seeking justice for every child.' She urged the police to focus on the Children Act 2022 and utilize forensic labs to promote justice for children in Homabay County.

A key issue raised was the absence of a child remand home in Homabay County, forcing children in conflict with the law to be transported to Manga in Nyamira County. Orwa urged the Homabay county government to establish a local remand home to bring justice closer to the community.

Finally, she appealed to the police to recognize and appropriately handle intersex children, who often face discrimination due to uncertainty about their gender identity during arrests.