An aspirant for the Nakuru West parliamentary seat has decried high levels of poverty in Kaptembwo slums in the constituency.
Ercik Ogada said that the high levels of poverty in Nakuru’s largest slum are worrying and have also led to increased levels of drug abuse, prostitution and other crimes.
Ogada said that most youths in the slum are jobless something he said has left them vulnerable to crime and drug abuse.
Speaking Thursday during an interview in Nakuru town, Ogada said that poverty has also led to increased spread of HIV/AIDS in the area.
"Kaptembwo is the largest slum in Nakuru and it also has the highest levels of poverty that will require efforts of everyone to tackle. If this issue of poverty is not dealt with urgently then this slum will turn into something irredeemable where hard drugs are being peddled openly and crimes being committed to open,” said Ogada.
“The county leadership must partner with residents of Kaptembwo and the private sector as well as the national government to change the face of Kaptembwo,” he said.
He promised to prioritize poverty eradication if he gets elected as MP in next year's polls.