Traders in Nakuru are alarmed over the rate at which street families and beggars are increasing in the town.
In an interview with this writer on Thursday, the traders claimed that the recent months had seen an increase in street families with most of them roaming the central business district freely, especially late in the evenings and others turning their merchandise and stalls into bedrooms.
Timothy Njogu who admitted that as much as he was not concerned about the street children roaming the town, he was a little apprehensive about the safety of traders' properties especially those who left their merchandise outside.
"Much as they are free to roan anywhere they should be monitored because I believe some have a criminal past," he confessed.
Mary Mogaka who sells groceries at the Wakulima market said that most street children had turned their stalls into bedrooms and toilets, a factor she said could be disastrous to the health of customers in the market.
"Sometimes you come early in the morning only to find a man or woman lying on your stall. Sadly sometimes they defecate right there," she lamented.
Some of the places which have been hard hit by street families include Kenyatta Avenue around Nyayo Gardens, Bendover Street which is frequented mostly at night by street children and along the Pandit Nehru road.
The traders are now calling upon the county government through the relevant ministry to contain the situation before it slips out of hand.