Several advocacy groups working with street children in Nakuru are pointing fingers at government authorities for failing to ensure that the rights of street children are protected.

Under the umbrella of the Nakuru County Children Homes Network, caregivers have raised the alarm over what they describe as bad blood between the public and street children.

Their sentiments follow an incident in mid-March when street children in Nakuru demonstrated after one of their own died under mysterious circumstances.

However, police used tear gas to disperse the protesters, resulting in property damage to bargain stalls after the street children allegedly turned violent against the shopkeepers.

Erick Langat of the Nakuru County Children Homes Network says this is uncalled for as street children, like other children, should enjoy their rights as enshrined in the Constitution.

"These are groups that should enjoy their rights like other Kenyans in the country and it is the government's job to ensure that," he said.

The lobby groups have also condemned the delay in issuing National Identity Cards to members of street families, citing red tape and lengthy protocols.

This has denied them a chance to participate in the country's development agenda and other democratic rights as citizens.

On the issue of drugs and substance abuse, which is a menace among street children, the caregivers now want stern action to be taken against people they call peddlers.

According to them, such individuals have continued to make profit from this while confusing street children as well as innocent children in Nakuru.

It is high time the government declares drug and substance abuse as a national disaster so that a collective approach can be taken to tackle it to save our children," said Langat.

She was speaking at this year's event to mark the International Day for Street Children under the theme 'Keeping Street-connected children safe'.

pmambili@gmail.com

Activists accuse authorities of discriminating against street children

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Pristone Mambili