41 street children dumped in forest

Some of the 37 street children that were allegedly dumped by Nakuru county enforcement officers at Sawich area in Chemususu Forest along the Eldama Ravine- Torongo road in Baringo county on February 7,2019. [Kipsang Joseph/Standard]

At least 41 street children have claimed county enforcement officers rounded them up and dumped them in Chemusus Forest in Eldama Ravine, Baringo County on Wednesday night.

The street urchins aged between 12 and 26 years said the officers told them the county government was taking them to school before bundling them into waiting vehicles.

Some of the 37 street children who were allegedly dumped by Nakuru County enforcement officers at Sawich area in Chemususu Forest along the Eldama Ravine - Torongo road. (Photo:Kipsang Joseph)

Jackson Kuka, 26, said the officers approached him at around 9pm, told him of a plan to take street children to school and college, and asked him to get into a car. "Those who refused to board the lorries were forced in. They told us the younger ones would be taken to primary school and the rest to colleges, only for us to end up in a forest in another county," said Kuka.

He said the officers handcuffed some of them before bundling them into the cars and taking them to the forest 75 kilometres away.

Fred Etibobu, a cart puller in the town, said the officers pretended to have a job for him before he was arrested.

The father of two said he was taken to a car parked on Mburu Gichua Road. He found fellow cart pullers inside the car. "I was shocked to see the vehicle heading out of town. We have done nothing wrong. Why is the county government treating us this way? They left us in the middle of nowhere," said Etibotu.

He said five of those forced out of town were missing.

Lembus MCA Ben Koech condemned the act, saying forceful transfer of people was illegal. He called for action against responsible officials.

Eldama Ravine sub-county Children's Officer Kuria Muthandi said ferrying and dumping them at the forest was not the best way to solve the street families' problem.

"It is not right. Dumping street families here is not the solution. The officials were simply transferring a problem from Nakuru to Baringo. Let each county have a rescue centre for children," said Muthandi.

Nakuru County Communications Director Beatrice Obwocha said she had no information on the happenings.

She referred this reporter to Peter Ketyenya, the acting executive for Youth, Culture, Gender, Sports and Social Services. He did not respond to our calls or text messages.