Murkomen: Parents have left children to be raised by phones, computers

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen speaking at AIC Plainsview, Nairobi on June 14, 2026 / HANDOUT

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has challenged parents to take greater responsibility in raising their children, warning that many have abdicated their parental duties to technology, schools and the government.

Murkomen said the growing cases of school unrest and other troubling behaviour among young people reflect a breakdown in parenting and mentorship both at home and in schools.

The CS urged parents to reflect on whether they are passing on the same values they inherited from their own parents and grandparents.

Murkomen questioned whether modern parents still dedicate time to nurturing their children's spiritual and moral growth through activities such as Bible study, Sunday school and memorisation of scripture.

“So I think the challenge for us as parents is to ask ourselves this question: Are we doing the same things that our parents did for us? Do we have time for our children for Bible study? Do we have time to bring them to Sunday school? Do we recite memory verses with them?” he asked.

According to the Interior CS, many parents have become consumed by work and other commitments, leaving children to spend most of their time on phones, computers, television and gaming platforms.

“We have become committed to our workplaces and left our children to be brought up by computers, phones and television. Our children spend most of their time on PlayStations because they do not have enough time with us,” he said.

Murkomen argued that the moral foundation many adults received while growing up was shaped by faith-based activities, family guidance and discipline, values he believes are increasingly missing in today's upbringing.

He linked the rise in incidents such as school arson and violence among learners to what he described as a failure by parents to consistently mentor and guide their children.

“So when we see children burning schools, harming their friends and engaging in other troubling behaviour, it reflects the things we have failed to do consistently in raising them,” he said.

The Cabinet Secretary also took issue with the growing tendency by parents to shift responsibility to government officials, teachers and schools whenever problems arise.

“The easiest targets become the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, teachers or the government. But the government cannot raise your children. The government cannot take your children to Sunday school. It cannot read the Bible to them at home or teach them good manners,” he said.

Murkomen further observed that many parents overestimate the role schools can play in shaping children, noting that teachers themselves face numerous personal and professional challenges.

He said parents often assume teachers can fully take over the role of mentorship, yet many educators are young people navigating the same societal pressures affecting families.

“You are busy with work and other commitments, thinking that paying school fees is the end of your responsibility. Yet your child is often being brought up by another young person who is facing their own challenges,” he said.

The CS added that some parents undermine teachers by resisting disciplinary measures, making it increasingly difficult for educators to provide guidance beyond classroom instruction.

“As a result, teachers become increasingly hands-off. They come to class, teach and leave. Lessons are completed, but mentorship is missing,” he said.

Murkomen called for a return to stronger family values, greater parental involvement and faith-based mentorship, saying these are critical to addressing the challenges facing young people.

“Where then is the solution? The solution is in Sunday school. The solution is in strong, functioning churches and parents who take responsibility by bringing their children to the house of God, where they can be taught faith and values,” he said.