110 street children dumped at Malaba border

110 street children dumped at Malaba border

At least 110 street urchins from Eldoret Town in Uasin Gishu County were Sunday night dumped at the Malaba border by police from the county government.

The street families, comprising of young women and children, were arrested in a swoop by administration police and the council officers of Eldoret town who lured them by promising to give them jobs.

“They called us and told us that they had jobs to offer us. Some of us were bathing in the river when the police hurriedly told us to go dress up in their lorry where we were all paraded,” said a young woman.

The street urchins were then taken to the Central Police Station before being bundled in a lorry at around 8 AM and ferried to Malaba Town.

Speaking to Citizen TV at Kanduyi area in Bungoma Town as they trekked back to Eldoret Town, the street urchins complained that some of them were arrested because they were wearing dirty clothes.

Chokora talking
One of the Chokora’s talking to Citizen TV

They claimed that police and council officers harassed them and accused them of dirtying the town and terrorising residents.

“Previously, there was an incident where three people were killed and the police blamed the street urchins for it, one of them told Citizen Digital.

“We were arrested and taken to the police station thinking we had done something wrong, but they lied to us that the seniors were going to be given jobs while the young ones were being taken to school.”

According to the street families, the lorry stopped at 2AM  when the officers  told them to alight and relieve themselves, only for the lorry to drive off leaving them stranded.

They then decided to trek from Malaba back to Eldoret Town where they have their homes and belongings.

They also noted that they do not rob anyone but collect garbage while some carry trolleys in the town markets.

“Police should instead look for thugs who terrorise residents of the town and not we who are innocent,” they said.

They pleaded with Governor Mandago to ensure they are not harassed, saying they were not thugs and insisting that all they did was collect plastics and do odd jobs to feed themselves and their families.

county Health Minister Isaac Meli
county Health Minister Isaac Meli

Meanwhile, county Health Minister Isaac Meli said that the number of street urchins in the town was increasing at a high rate and a decision had been made back in 2003 to take them to a rehabilitation centre to curb the situation.

Mr Meli further stated that the first time the street urchins were displaced they were taken to Turkana, the second time to Nyamira and then recently to Nakuru.

“The first time they were vetted they were all rounded up and returned to their homes and those who did not have homes were taken to rehabilitation centres,” said Meli.

He noted that the street children have parents but choose to live on the streets in search of an easy life.

Meli also said that the street urchins are usually rounded up and those of age are charged with loitering in the streets while those underage are returned to their homes.

“Those who don’t have parents are taken to rehabilitation centres where they get food, training and proper care,” he noted.

By Jemimah Gathoni

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malaba street children uasin ngishu

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