Concern over increased street families in Nakuru

BY ERIC SINDABI
THE increasing number of street families in Nakuru town is distressing and provides a security scare to residents.

A survey by this writer indicated that the street families ranging from street boys and girls to prostitutes and other idlers are causing an alarm among normal residents. A spot check along the busy kenyatta avenue among other street venues reveals aimless roaming urchins who bother motorists and commuters. The glue sniffing shaggy rowdy youth operate in groups and forcefully ask for money and pick pocket unsuspecting wananchi.Also heart rendering pictures of street mothers sitting on pavements soliciting for help is eminent in the town.

Residents who talked to us urged the government to address the issue while petitioning the Nakuru Municipal Council Mayor to take an immediate action over the street families menaces. Some said that the increased numbers of street families in the town is attributed to the influx of the internally displaced people in the town. Nakuru was the worst hit with large numbers of IDPs. Quite a number of the IDP’s have managed to sneak from the camps and now roam desperately in the town.

Active venues where street families operate from in the town apart from Kenyatta Avenue include Nyayo gardens,Central park, areas around the municipal council market, and parts of industrial area.

Recently for example a group of rowdy urchins besieged staff and customers of a food kiosk in industrial area after allegations that they had been denied left over food. The street boys who later talked to this writer said that they were protesting after the kiosk waiters deliberately refused to serve them yet they had money to buy food. They said that the waiters went ahead to say that the food kiosk did not sell food to “chokoras”.

A fracas followed as members of the public tried to cool down the enraged youth numbering seven and who were armed with stones threatening to attack the food kiosk workers.

On the other hand investigations established that some young women who sneaked from the IDPs camps have joined the local street girls and sex workers industry. The women roam on the backstreets and night clubs and jam guest house entrances in desperate efforts to earn a living. A former Eldoret town second hand clothes business woman who sought anonymity told the media that she had been forced to join the sex workers business in Nakuru Town as she was desperate to earn a living. She said that she flew Eldoret after violence rocked the town immediately after the last general election results were announced.