Mombasa County government have begun a process to remove and rehabilitate street beggars and families within the County.
The operation which involves officers from the County Department of Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture, Sub-county Administration and the Inspectorate Unit has seen more than 50 beggars operating along Saba Saba, Buxton, Digo Road, Makadara grounds in Mvita and Nyali Sub Counties seized, before being taken to the County Court then assessed to ascertain their needs.
Sub-county Coordinator Idris Abdirahman together with Gender Director Esther Ingolo said the main purpose of the exercise is to rehabilitate and give the genuine children being used as beggars together with their families, a dignified life and at the same time keep the County free of beggars.
“We are apprehending these families so as to get their numbers and the needs of those who are genuine. Afterwards, we intend to offer them appropriate support in the case of children ensuring they are in school or enrolling their parents in our skills and business programmes after training. In the long run, we give them a dignified life away from begging in the streets,” said Ingolo.
Mvita Sub-county social workers Nasra Abdulrazak and Rose Gesare said that through the apprehension, the county government would establish the number of street children without homes or those in need of reuniting with families and thereafter take appropriate actions towards them.
“Our main concern are the children most of whom are below 10 years and are being abused and used as beggars by their parents or guardians while they should be in school. There is free education and even school milk provided for them by the County."
"If we find the children are without homes then we are making arrangements to take them to safe homes or help them in tracing their families, if its parental issue then we plan to counsel their parents on how to properly raise them and cope with their life through other means besides begging,” Abdulrazak said.
Ms Gesare said that if the street children are left unattended, they end up being a nuisance or engage in criminal activities.
They added that most of those families are looking for quick money and do not want to involve themselves in meaningful activities or development programs that are at their disposal.
During the assessment, some of the beggars who were found to be people living with disability were transported back to their homes in Bombolulu and other areas with a stern warning to keep off the streets as they were urged to enroll in the skilled programmes by the County.
Through the coordination from Sub County Administration, the officers pledged to continue with the exercise subsequently until the whole County is clear of street families.