Activist Hanifa Adan has condemned Kenyan parents for failing to stand up for their children, describing a culture that normalises bullying and cruelty in the name of discipline.
Through X on Friday, January 23, 2026, she said her criticism is based on personal experience when her younger brother suffered severe abuse in school.
“I’m sorry to say this, but Kenyan parents don’t fight hard enough for their children,” she explained.
She added that for decades, corporal punishment has been treated as normal, leaving children vulnerable.
Hanifa said the incident occurred when her brother was in Form One. She explained that a teacher beat him brutally, threw him into a locker, and smashed his head until it bled.
“The school tried to silence him, but he found a way to tell us because he knew I would stand up for him,” she said. She added that when they first went to the school, the principal convinced her father to let it go, but she refused to back down.
Taking action against abuse
She said she returned to the school with an OB number and demanded her brother’s release. Hanifa explained that by that time, her posts about the incident had gone viral, and the teacher was hiding.
“I took my brother to the hospital, and only then did the teacher apologise, ashamed, shocked that anyone had ever challenged him,” she said.
She warned the teacher that if he ever harmed another child, his teaching days would be over.
Hanifa said the most disturbing part was the reaction of other parents. She explained that many insisted that children must be beaten to be disciplined and that teachers are saints to be worshipped.
“What disturbed me most was the parents’ reaction,” she said. She added that this mindset makes it harder for children to get protection and justice.
She urged Kenyan parents to take a stronger role in protecting their children. Hanifa explained that standing up to abuse is not disrespecting teachers but ensuring that children grow in safe environments.
She added that parents must stop normalising violence and start advocating for their children at school.
