VINCENT: We should be ashamed about the suffering of street families

Over the past few years, the number of street families has been growing. There has been no long term solution to this issue yet.

These people have nowhere to go and no one to save them from hopelessness. All that the street families get is gross mistreatment from county askaris who view and treat them as garbage. Indeed a pauper has no spokesman.

Every financial year, funds are set aside for helping these families, but the funds end up disappearing into the pockets of greedy and corrupt officials who have already amassed a lot of wealth but still go for the little meant for the poor.

It is not fair to see someone sitting out in the cold nights, with their head between their knees, every night while the other one is having a peaceful sleep in a comfortable bed.

Public campaigns should be conducted to encourage parents to not throw their children out of the home for cultural reasons or any other beliefs. Some parents have been known to throw away their children believing they are cursed or have some kind of disability. This should stop.

Financial support should be given to struggling families. A majority of Kenyans have no sympathy for street beggars, believing that everyone should face their own problems. This public apathy, coupled with government apathy, makes the situation worse for street families.

Maybe it is time we considered becoming their spokespersons. Then the government might listen.