A report by the Nairobi City County Government Education, Social Services and Gender department has confirmed that 1,043 street children in the city were rescued and rehabilitated within the last year.
The report further reveals that these children were rehabilitated at Makadara, Joseph Kangethe, Shauri Moyo, and Mji wa Huruma street children rehabilitation centres in Nairobi.
“We are still on with the operation to rescue the street children who are still running away from authorities. Our long-term goal is to have all street children reunited with their families and also to build networks with other counties and agencies for ease of reintegration and family reunification of rescued children,” said CEC Lucia Mulwa.
Mulwa noted that the number of street children has decreased significantly since Sonko took office in 2017.
“When Sonko took over it was estimated that the capital city had close to 60,000 street families, with around 500 operating within the CBD," she added.
Nairobi County will renovate these four centres by purchasing beds, beddings and develop playgrounds in the centres among other renovations.
In a bid to make the city safe, the Head of Security and Compliance at City Hall, Tito Kilonzi said that street families, beggars and parking boys will be rounded up.
Parking boys who will be arrested will be taken to court, while street children will be remanded in a bid to unite them with their families.
More so, those who pretend to be disabled to steal from Nairobians will also be taken to court.
"Our target is to completely weed them out because of the increased complaints from traders and residents," Kilonzi said at City Hall.
Major areas targeted in this exercise include Globe Roundabout, Moi Avenue, Tom Mboya street and areas around Kenya Cinema.
"We have cases of women misusing young children to beg and extort by pretending to be street families and such characters must face the full wrath of the law," he said.
Kilonzi sounded an alarm to people pretending to be parking boys but then steal from innocent Kenyans. He warned that they will be arrested and taken to court.
"This is purely meant to enforce security for those using the public transport system and all those operating near the bus termini," stated Kilonzi.