Recently, it was alleged that a troubled car dealer in the country does not take care of one of his children but the mother has been afraid to address this all along as she was afraid his financial capacity would enable him get custody of the child despite his lack of contribution to the child’s life.

Many mothers and fathers raising their children alone live in similar fear not knowing they can be protected by the law. How? You may wonder.

Absolute custody! also known as actual custody, this is where one parent has sole legal and physical custody of a child, while the other parent has no access. In Kenya, this is governed by the 2001 Children Act.

Absolute custody grants one parent the right to live with the child and make day-to-day decisions regarding their upbringing1.

The court determines absolute custody based on the best interests of the child, considering factors such as the child’s age, the parents’ conduct, and the child’s wishes.