Cabinet bans child adoption in Kenya by foreign nationals after Baby Kiano drama

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his cabinet on Thursday declared a ban on adoption of Kenyan children by foreigners.

In a statement to newsrooms, the cabinet decided to enforce the ban in a special cabinet meeting held at State House, Nairobi.

"Cabinet has today announced an immediate ban on adoption of children by foreign nationals.

Matt and Daisy Mazzoncini Pulse Live Kenya

"A special Cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta and attended by Deputy President William Ruto also directed the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to formulate a new policy document to regulate the adoption of children by foreign nationals in Kenya," the statement read in part.

The statement did not, however, explain how long the ban will remain in force and what sort of regulations were expected from the Ministry of Labour on the matter.

Baby Kiano and his American adoptive parents Matt and Daisy Mazzoncini

The statement from the cabinet came just a day after Americans Matt and Daisy Mazzoncini were reunited with their adopted 3-year-old Baby Kiano, a Kenyan boy.

The baby was taken from them by the Child Welfare Society of Kenya on claims that the Americans were mistreating the child.

In interviews with various local and international media stations, the Mazzoncinis narrated that they had never mistreated the child and, in fact, had funded various medical procedures to restore his health.

Cabinet bans child adoption in Kenya by foreign nationals after Baby Kiano drama Pulse Live Kenya

The Ameriacans were handed back the toddler on Wednesday, in a hushed-up arrangement which involved their lawyer Martha Karua, Kabete OCPD George Seda, DCIO Frank Wanjau and Labour Principal Secretary Nelson Marwa.