Provide Us with Basic Needs, Street Families In Mathare Tell Government

Street Families in Mlango Kubwa Mathare are now calling on the government to provide them with protection and shelter saying that area has become insecure and many are being raped and killed.

Those who spoke to Ghetto Radio say that life in Mlango Kubwa has become uncertain with many of them dying mysteriously.

They are citing torture from the public, police and kanjo’s brutality, as the major causes of their death.

‘‘Haki gava ituskie tunamadwa huku wengi wameenda,hatuna mtu wa kutusimamaia wengi pia wamepata ball na  wengine pia hudedi wakizaa tupewe protection (Let the government protect us we are being killed, some of us have been impregnated as result of rape),’’ they told Ghetto Radio News in an interview.

Last week one of them by the name John allegedly died of hunger something that attracted protests.

ALSO READ; https://ghettoradio.co.ke/street-families-hold-protests-after-colleague-dies-of-hunger/

They picked the body at City Mortuary on Friday and laid him to rest at Langata cemetery with the help of Zero Street Children Foundation.

Fatma Mumbi Shahenza from the organisation slammed the ministry of labour for not baring the mandate to have street families provided for, accusing those in charge for discriminating street families.

“Health is a very important issue that needs to be provided, these families have nowhere to run to whenever they become sick, let’s have a program that will ensure they are treated without charges ..another major problem is food, street families have nothing to eat and hunger is now killing them. The deceased here is not the first one who passed away under this condition,” Mumbi said.

The organisation now wants the government to implement what was started by former minister the late Karisa Maitha where he created a special fund for street families’ welfare.

Street families rehabilitation trust fund was established on March 11, 2003 by Ministry of Local Government through a Gazette notice No. 1558.

It was used to coordinate rehabilitation activities for street families in the country in partnership with other service providers.

WATCH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CSEdtp3Hb8

BY ALLAN OTIENO