[2019] KEHC 11032 (KLR)
The court found that the applicants, as the child's maternal grandparents, had provided continuous care and demonstrated emotional, social, and financial stability. The child had bonded well with them, and all statutory requirements for adoption under the Children Act were satisfied, including the declaration of the...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2019] KEHC 11032 (KLR)
- Parties
- Applicant: GMK; Applicant: FWM
- Court
- High Court
- Court Station
- High Court at Nairobi (Milimani Law Courts)
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Adoption Cause 125 of 2018
- Procedural Posture
- Adoption Cause / Judgment
- Outcome
- adoption granted
- Judges
- AO Muchelule, A Ali-Aroni
- Legal Topics
- Adoption of Child, Best Interests of Child, Parental Rights and Obligations
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
GMK
Applicant
FWM
Applicant
Procedural Posture
Adoption Cause / Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the applicants meet the legal requirements for adoption under the Children Act.
- 2 Whether it is in the best interests of the child to be adopted by the applicants.
- 3 Whether the consent of the biological father is required or can be dispensed with.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the applicants, as the child's maternal grandparents, had provided continuous care and demonstrated emotional, social, and financial stability. The child had bonded well with them, and all statutory requirements for adoption under the Children Act were satisfied, including the declaration of the child as free for adoption and the obtaining of necessary consents. The biological father was unknown, and the court exercised its discretion to dispense with his consent. The reports from the guardian ad litem and the Director of Children Services supported the adoption. The court concluded that the adoption was in the best interests of the child, granting the applicants full...
Court Disposition
adoption granted
Orders
- The applicants GMK and FWM are allowed to adopt Child LN alias LNW.
- Child LN alias LNW shall henceforth be known as LNM.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
29 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA AT NAIROBI
MILIMANI LAW COURTS
FAMILY DIVISION
ADOPTION CAUSE NO. 125 OF 2018(OS)
IN THE MATTER OF THE CHILDREN ACT 2001
AND
IN THE MATTER OF LN ALIAS LNW (CHILD)
AND
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR ADOPTION BY
GMK ……………….…1ST APPLICANT
FWM….………..……..2ND APPLICANT
JUDGMENT
1. The applicants are a Kenyan couple aged 58 and 56, respectively. The applicants do business. They got married under Kikuyu customary law in 1978 and were blessed with three children; WKM, HWM (Deceased) and RNM. They filed this originating summons on 13th September 2018 seeking to be allowed to adopt the female child who was born on 12th December 2013.
2. Child LN alias LNW is the applicants’ granddaughter who was born to their late daughter HWM who died on 13th September 2017. She left behind the child and 2 others. The biological father of the child is unknown. The child was declared free for adoption under section 156(1) of the Children’s Actby Kenyans Children’s Home Adoption Society on 20th June 2018 under Certificate Number 1405. The applicants obtained consent from the Child’s uncle, WKM, and aunt, RNM. The child has been under the continuous care of the applicants since the demise of her mother on 13th September 2017.
3. The court on 2nd November 2018 appointed JKK as guardian ad litem and ordered that he files a report after carrying out a social inquiry on the applicants to determine their suitability to adopt the child. A similar report was sought from the Director of Children Services. Both reports were duly filed, and each recommended that the applicants be allowed to adopt the child. The reports found that the applicants were socially, emotionally and financially stable and suitable to adopt the child. It was also found that the child and the applicants had bonded well.
4. The court finds that it is in the best interest of the child to be adopted by the applicants. The applicants have demonstrated their ability to provide a conducive home and family environment in which the child will grow and develop. They will assume all parental rights and obligations of the biological parents of the child once adopted, and shall treat her as if she was borne to them. They have been made aware that once the adoption order is made, it shall be final and binding during the lifetime of the child. The child shall have the right to inherit their property. The applicants shall not be able to give up the child owing to any subsequent unforeseen behaviour or other changes in the child. This court dispenses with the consent of the child’s biological father as he is unknown.
5. Having been satisfied that all the legal requirements for a local adoption under the Children Act have been met, the following orders shall issue:-
a. the applicants GMK and FWM are hereby allowed to adopt Child LN a.k.a LNW;
b. child LN a.k.a. LNW shall henceforth be known as LNM;
c. WKM and BNM are hereby appointed to be the child’s legal guardians in the event of death or incapacity of the applicants before she is of full age and fully self-reliant;
d. the Registrar-General is directed to enter this adoption in the Adopted Children Register; and
e. the guardian ad litem is hereby discharged.
DATED and SIGNED at NAIROBI this 5TH day of FEBRUARY 2019.
A.O. MUCHELULE
JUDGE
DATED and DELIVERED at NAIROBI this 7TH day of FEBRUARY 2019.
ALI-ARONI
JUDGE