Nairobi street children granted access to rehabilitation centre

Over 200 street children and street families rounded up by Nairobi City Inspectorate officers within the city have finally been granted access to Kabete Rehabilitation School.

This comes after a Nairobi court granted the county government an order allowing it to place the children in the rehabilitation centre for 21 days pending determination of the next course of action.

City Inspectorate director of operations Peter Mbaya said they had obtained a court order allowing the county to take the children under the age of 18 years to Kabete Rehabilitation School and the adults to Kamiti Remand Home.

SCHOOL

“Thursday we took them to Kabete but they were not allowed in because we did not follow due process. The next day we went to court and obtained an order allowing us to take them there.

“We have already taken the young ones to Kabete, while the others went to Kamiti Remand Home which is a shelter for individuals over the age of 18 years,” said Mr Mbaya on Monday.

Mr Mbaya said they will stay at the two facilities for three weeks before the court decides on the next course of action, adding that the young ones will be taken to school, while those over 18 years will be taken to any other place the court decides.

DUPED

“We have a big rehabilitation centre in Makadara but this only caters for the not so hardened ones who can break out and go back to the street. They need tight security and this is not a good place for them,” he said.

The stranded children and families had to spend the night at the Central Police station after they were denied access at the Kabete Rehabilitation School.

They were seized after being duped by the inspectorate that there was a party at Uhuru Park where they treated to free food before a police vehicle arrived and county askaris ordered them aboard.