Street children have become a menace in Nakuru town, with majority of area residents calling on the county government to offer a lasting solution to the crisis before it gets out of hand.
Speaking to this writer on Sunday, the residents earmarked the area near the Rift Valley General Hospital and along the railway fence near the flyover as the main hot spots, saying that the street children had started attacking passers-by who failed to give them money.
They also say that the area towards Muthaiti Complex opposite Gate house was a crime hotspot where some street families attacked and robbed people especially women in broad daylight.
Miriam Mboka, a resident, accused the street children of being arrogant, under drugs influence and using foul language to anybody who didn’t gave them money.
“The county government ought to deal with these kids because they have formed a habit of harassing anybody using the route,” she said.
Mboka says that they children wrestled her to the ground before robing her of Sh5, 000 she was supposed to deposit in her daughter's account.
Another victim, Mercy Chege, regrets using the route after she was attacked on her way to the Rift Valley General Hospita for treatment.
“I reported the matter to central police station but to date, I have not received justice with the police telling me that they are not allowed to arrest street children,” noted Mercy, who said that her pregnancy developed complications after the ordeal.
Police at the station confirmed filling the complaint but accused Mercy of rushing to the media while investigations were on-going, saying that patience was necessary in a case they said involved more than five suspects.
“The street children operate as families and apprehending a suspect from a group is usually tricky especially when the complainant does not remember the suspect. According to the law, you cannot arrest anybody just because they were at the scene of crime,” offered Mark Wafula, an officer at the crimes desk at Central Police station.