Nairobi county govt earmarks 40-acre land in Ruai to relocate street families

The county government of Nairobi has set aside 40 acres of land in Ruai where it intends to settle street families living in the city centre.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero said he was working with the national government to relocate the families and build for them a rehabilitation centre, a school and vocational training institution.

“Currently an Inter-ministerial committee is working on the plan to ensure that there is support expertise and structures to help the families, especially the children,” Dr Kidero said on sunday
“We must find humane ways to deal with this issue,” the governor said in a statement.

He clarified that they would not carry out any major operation to flush out the street families ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit.

Last week, City Hall announced that a major operation would be carried out to get rid of the street children.

This would ensure the city remained clean and secure for the US president and other visitors attending the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) next week.

The county environment officer, Leah Oyake, had said that they wanted to make the city more secure and attractive to investors.

NOT BECAUSE OF OBAMA

But she made it clear that the planned relocation of the street families and the ongoing beautification of the city was not being done because President Obama planned to visit Nairobi.

She said it was part of the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan that the Governor, Dr Kidero launched.

President Obama's planned visit had only given the project of beautification the impetus, she added.

Ms Oyake said she only decided to start implementing the plan by landscaping Uhuru Highway and Mombasa Road because this is where President Obama is expected to pass through during his visit.

On Sunday, Dr Kidero did not mention President Obama’s visit in his statement.

He explained that City Hall had only partnered with the national government to address the problem of street families comprehensively.

He said: “I will ensure that the children are able to access formal learning and those who are above 16 years of age will be trained in vocational skills:

The governor added that the his county government would also ensure that a fully functional and equipped medical clinic is put up at the street families’ rehabilitation centre to ensure those who have health issues are taken care of.

Besides the medical team, there will be psycho-social workers and other experts on hand to support the families and children who may have challenges arising from their tough life on the streets.

CENTRES OF INTEGRATION

Dr Kidero said the educational institutions would eventually be centres of integration modelled on Starehe Boys' Centre and School.

“Once the streets are cleared of children, the institutions will still be needed for the vulnerable and poor families, especially those who live in slums in Nairobi.”

Street families have taken over parts of the city in the past year.

One of their most popular grounds is the Globe Cinema roundabout on Murang’a Road.

They also converge on two areas near Muthurwa and Wakulima markets.

At Globe Cinema, the families have made a pedestrian tunnel their den. The tunnel is filthy and full of human waste and pedestrians avoid it.