County Government asked to account four missing street urchins

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri (left) handing over food donation to Former Nacada Boss John Muthutho (right) at John Muthutho Empowerment Center in Nakuru on February 12, 2019. [Kipsang Joseph/Standard]

The whereabouts of four homeless people who went missing after they were dumped at Chemususu Forest in Baringo remain unknown.

The four were among 41 street children who were ferried by the County Government of Nakuru last week and dumped in the forest at night.

Thirty-seven were rescued by residents and later handed over to the County Government of Nakuru. Twenty-one of those rescued were taken to a rehabilitation centre owned by former NACADA boss John Mututho.

Those missing are said to be aged between 12 and 20.

Wilson Kiragu, a resident of Sawach village, who assisted in rescuing the 36 last week, told The Standard they were yet to get information on the whereabouts of the four.

“The local community is, however, on the lookout and will give information if they are spotted,” said Mr Kiragu.

The group of homeless people now wants the county government held responsible for those missing.

They also want an identification parade done to enable them pick out county enforcement officers they claim dumped them in the forest.

Sparked uproar

The incident has sparked uproar among local leaders and civil rights groups, who want Governor Lee Kinyanjui to come clean on the matter.

Mr Kinyanjui, however, said dumping of street children was wrong. He promised to get to the bottom of the matter.

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri yesterday said the action by the county government was inhuman.

The legislator claimed the governor was aware of the plan to dump the homeless people.

A WhatsApp group named Sauti Ya Wachuuzi reveals a post by one of the county government enforcement team officers, who wrote that the menace of street families was becoming a disaster, as they increased every week.

 In the post, a church was blamed for feeding the street urchins everyday, hence encouraging their presence in town.

“I can assure you from Tuesday (last week), you will see great change. We will work out the best formula,” continued the post.

The county government, in a press release, said it had commenced investigations into the matter.

Some reports have it that two enforcement team officers involved in the dumping of the 41 have been transferred to other regions within Nakuru County.