Fresh crackdown: Nairobi to flush out beggars on Thursday

Nairobi has been declared a no begging zone with immediate effect.

A crackdown operation targeting beggars even those with disability is also set to happen from tomorrow morning.

This means that any beggars found on the City streets will be arrested and could be charged for engaging in an illegal activity.

The crackdown is going to be undertaken by Nairobi County Government in collaboration with the National Council for Persons with disability.

Education and Social Services County executive, Janet Ouko stated that those arrested will be taken to Waithaka rehabilitation centre in Dagoreti.

"There is an influx of beggars particularly the disabled ones in the city but we will no longer allow them to operate in the CBD,"observed Ouko.

She was quick to note that 80 percent of the disabled beggars were being used by business men to extort gullible members of the public by invoking empathy.

"Some of the beggars come from as far as Tanzania but we are also aware that there is a bi building in Eastlands where the businessmen operate from. We are going to crack down on them," she added.

The crackdown is set to commence in Ngara, Moi Avenue, down town Nairobi, Temple Road and Tom Mboya Street.

National Council for Persons with disability (NCPWD) chairman, Mohammed Gabbow noted that most of the disabled beggars were not registered with the Council thus their nationality could not be ascertained.

He urged the beggars to use the appropriate channels in seeking help.

"We are not only targeting disabled beggars but all of them. Efforts to kick them out will however be handled in a humane manner to ensure that their rights are not violated," added Gabbow.

Currently, beggars have taken over the City and can be spotted virtually everywhere be it at traffic jams to streets in the CBD.

Despite a handful of crackdowns, beggars and street children however keep making their way back into the Central Business District.