In re Baby HWM & MNW (Minors) [2025] KEHC 8369 (KLR)

In re Baby HWM & MNW (Minors) (Adoption Cause E001 of 2025) [2025] KEHC 8369 (KLR) (11 June 2025) (Judgment)

Neutral citation: [2025] KEHC 8369 (KLR)

Republic of Kenya

In the High Court at Nyeri

Adoption Cause E001 of 2025

DKN Magare, J

June 11, 2025

In re Baby HWM & MNW (Minors) (Adoption Cause E001 of 2025) [2025] KEHC 8369 (KLR) (11 June 2025)

Judgment

1. This judgment is in respect of the Originating Summons dated 19. 2.2025 seeking an adoption order.

2. The application seeks for orders that:a.The Applicants be authorized to adopt baby HWM and MNW.b.David Mwai Ndungu and Regina Wangechi Ndungu be appointed as legal guardians of the minors.

3. The Applicant described herself in the statement and affidavit in support of the application both dated 19. 2.2025. She was the aunt to the minors that she sought to adopt in that the father of HWM was her brother and the mother of MNW was her sister.

4. Further, she stated that she worked and lived in the UK as a nurse and has been providing for the minors including school fees.

5. It is also worth noting that the minors, HWN and MNW are 14 and 13 years respectively.

Analysis. 6. The issue is whether the court should allow the adoption herein.

7. This court has the power to make an adoption order. The following are the relevant provisions of the law on adoption in Kenya:183. Power to make adoption orders.(1)Subject to this Act, the High Court may, on an application made in the prescribed form, make an order, in this Act referred to as "adoption order", authorising an applicant to adopt a child.(2)All proceedings under this Part shall be heard and determined in chambers, and the identity of the child and the applicants shall be kept confidential.(3)In this Act, adoption means local, kinship and foreign adoption.(4)For the purposes of this Part—(a)"kinship adoption" has the meaning assigned to it in section 2;(b)"local adoption" means an adoption in relation to which the child is resident in Kenya; and(ii)the adopting parent or parents are Kenyan nationals resident in Kenya;and(c)"foreign adoption" means an adoption in relation to which —(i)the adopting parent or parents are Kenyan nationals with dual citizenship;(ii)the adopting parent or parents are foreign nationals whether or not resident in Kenya;(iii)the adopting parent or parents are not Kenyan nationals but are biologically related to the child; or(iv)the adopting parent or parents were once Kenyan nationals but have lost their nationality by operation of the law of the host country to which the prospective parent or parents have a nationality.

8. Pre-requisites for adoption are also stated under Section 184 of the Children Act, 2022 as follow:(1)A person shall not commence any arrangements for the adoption of a child unless—(a)the Council, in accordance with the rules, has declared the child free for adoption; and(b)the child has attained the age of six weeks.(2)A person, including a parent, guardian or adoption society, shall not, prior to the making of an adoption order, entrust a child to the care, possession or control of any person not qualified to adopt a child in accordance with this Act.(3)An applicant shall not preselect a prospective adoptive child except—(a)in the case of kinship adoption;(b)Where the applicant is a foster parent seeking to adopt a fostered child under the applicant’s care.(4)The Secretary shall monitor and submit reports to the courts on the wellbeing of a child who is subject to adoption proceedings.(5)Any person who contravenes subsections (1) or (2) of this section commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to a fine not exceeding one million shillings, or to both.

9. Under Section 185, children who may be adopted are stated as follows:(1)Any child who is resident within Kenya may be adopted whether or not the child is a Kenyan citizen, or was born in Kenya.(2)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), no Court may entertain an application for an adoption order in respect of a child unless—(a)the child concerned has been in the continuous care and control of the applicant within Kenya for a period of three consecutive months preceding the filling of the application; and(b)the application for an adoption order is supported by a report made by a dul registered adoption society recommending that an adoption order be made.(3)The report referred to in subsection (2)(b) shall contain the society’s findings and recommendations in respect of the child and the applicant or applicants, as the case may be.(4)The following children shall be eligible for adoption—(a)a child who is an orphan and has no guardian or caregiver able and willing to take care of the child;(b)a child who has been abandoned or whose parents’ or guardian’s whereabouts cannot be traced within a period of one year;(c)children who are willingly offered for adoption by their biological parents in accordance with regulations made under this Part.

10. Under section 185, on who may apply to adopt a child, the following is the law:(1)The Court may make an adoption order on application by—(a)a sole applicant; or(b)two spouses jointly.(2)The Court shall not make an adoption order in any case unless—(a)the applicant has attained the age of twenty-five years, but is not above the age of sixty-five years; and(b)the applicant, or both of the applicants in a joint application, is more than twenty-one years older than the child.(3)The restrictions in subsection (2) shall not apply in any case where a sole applicant or one of the joint applicants is the mother, father or relative of the child.(4)The Court shall not make an adoption order in favour of a sole male applicant, unless the applicant is a blood relative of the child.(5)The Court shall not make an adoption order in favour of the following persons unless the Court is satisfied on reasons to be stated on the record that there are special circumstances that warrant the making of the adoption order an applicant or joint applicants who has, or both have, attained the age of sixty-five years.(6)The Court shall not make an adoption order in favour of an applicant or joint applicants if the applicant or joint applicants, or any of them—(a)is of unsound mind within the meaning of the Mental Health Act (Cap. 248);(b)is incapable of exercising proper care and guardianship of a child;(c )has been convicted by a Court of competent jurisdiction for any of the offences specified in the Third Schedule or similar offences;(d)in the case of joint applicants, if the applicants are not married to each other;(e)is a sole male applicant except where the applicant is a biological relative of the child; or(f)is a foreign applicant except where the applicant is a biological relative of the child.(7)Notwithstanding anything contained in this section the Court may at its sole discretion decline to make an adoption order in favour of any person or persons if the Court is of the view that it is not in the best interests of the child to make the order.(8)Subject to the provisions of this section, an application for an adoption order in respect of a child shall be accompanied by written consents of the following persons—(a)a parent or guardian of the child, or any person who is liable by virtue of any order or agreement to contribute to the maintenance of the child;(b)on the application of one of the spouses, the consent of the other spouse; and(c)in the case of a child who has attained the age of ten years, the child himself or herself.(9)If the child referred to in subsection (8)(c) has a disability which restricts or impairs the child’s ability to independently give his or her consent, the child shall be accorded such assistance, including the assistance of an intermediary, to facilitate his or her written consent.

11. In light of the above law, the court heard the relevant parties who testified in court and also perused all the documents filed in court.

12. The Report by the Guardian ad Litem dated 26. 5.2025 and the Report by the Children Officer dated 8. 5.2025 were filed in court certifying the applicant as meeting the legal parameters to adopt the minors herein.

13. The court also heard David Mwai Ndungu the father of HWN who testified that he separated with the mother of the minor 8 years ago; and Regina Wangechi Ndungu, mother of MNW who testified that she does not know the father of the minor. Both gave their unsolicited consent and green light to the adoption. For the best interest of the minor, these considerations support the adoption.

14. The applicant in my view, as supported by evidence on record, has met all the legal requirements of adoption. No doubt, this is a kinship adoption with the minors as niece and nephew of the Applicant and the Applicant is clear with intentions to protect, support, provide inheritance for and maintain the children as her own.

15. The commendation report by the Children’s Officer and the Guardian ad Litem too gives the Applicant the go ahead to adopt the minors. They describe the Applicant as committed and able to care for and maintain the children as she has already been solely maintaining them already, and hold the view that the adoption herein sought will be in the child’s best interest

16. Thereof, the application for adoption is merited and I allow it.

Determination. 17. In the upshot, I make the following orders:a.The Applicant Irene Njoki Ndungu is hereby authorized to adopt the children identified as Hope Wanjiku Mwai and Melvin Ndungu Wangeci.b.The Registrar General is hereby directed to make the appropriate entry of Hope Wanjiku Mwai and Melvin Ndungu Wangeci in the adopted Children’s Register.c.The guardian adLitem are hereby discharged.d.The file is closed

DELIVERED, DATED AND SIGNED AT NYERI ON THIS 11TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025. JUDGMENT DELIVERED THROUGH MICROSOFT TEAMS ONLINE PLATFORM.KIZITO MAGAREJUDGEIn the presence of: -Mr. Gitonga Muthee for the ApplicantCourt assistant – Jedidah