Acting Foreign Affairs Minister, George Saitoti (R) stresses a point during the meeting with Radhika Coomaraswamy, the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed ConflictActing Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof George Saitoti has reiterated that Kenya's does not condone the use of children in armed conflict. The minister made the remarks today when he held discussions with Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy,Top of Form the UN Secretary-General Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
During the meeting, they discussed the 2010 report of the Secretary General on children and armed conflict released in April this year. The report contained allegations of recruitment and training of children from refugee camps in Kenya and North Eastern Province for purposes of participating in armed conflict inside Somalia.
The minister informed the UN official that based on the report, the Government launched an investigation into the matter. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security; and the Committee on Defence and Foreign relations. No evidence to support the allegations of recruitment of children for purposes of armed conflict was found.
The minister further assured the UN Special Representative that Kenya as a signatory of the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict continues to cooperate and support international efforts aimed at the protection of children from armed conflict.
