- Kenya’s street families, including thousands of children, face extreme deprivation, and society’s neglect fuels survival-driven behaviors often mistaken for criminality.
- Lack of compassion and support from citizens, parents, and authorities worsens their plight, straining social cohesion and creating potential lawlessness.
- Collective action through empathy, resource sharing, and targeted initiatives can protect street families, uphold human dignity, and strengthen Kenya’s social fabric.
According to the report by Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund (SFRTF), there were 46,639 persons with nowhere to call home but the streets in Kenya in 2018. Out of this number, 15,752 were below the age of 19 years. In terms of counties, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, and Nakuru had the highest numbers of 15,337, 7,529, 2,746, 2,147, and 2,005 persons respectively. These counties are also Kenya’s major cities.
These are not mere statistics. They represent lives of citizens that affect our national image, aspirations for inclusivity, equity, and shared prosperity. They also highlight a serious breakdown of our social fabric and erosion of human values such as love, compassion, and care. This is one of the bleakest reflections of our society.
For many years, Kenyan citizens have reported muggings and attacks involving human wastes by street families. Any association of street families with social instability, criminality, and juvenile delinquency is not meant to label or stereotype them. It is an unfortunate situation forced upon them by circumstances. When people lack legitimate means to meet basic needs such as food, they may resort to criminal acts for survival.
Various inquiries, including one by Ndirangu and Kavivya in 2022 that focused on government policy on rehabilitation of children involved in street crime in Nakuru County, have affirmed this. Our consequent victimhood is thus unavoidable due to neglect of our legal and moral obligations as a nation and as individuals.
In the eyes of street families, we appear selfish, inhuman, and hateful. I unreservedly agree. We can and should share even the little we have with them. The little we have is not too little to share; the problem is our unwillingness. This is evident whenever street families scavenge for pieces of chicken, bread, and leftover juices from dustbins and dumpsites. Choosing to dispose of food rather than share it with those in need makes us appear worse than animals.
This has strained our relationship with them. We have turned them into our worst enemies rather than treating them as brothers and sisters. Street families have the potential to become agents of lawlessness. The legitimacy of laws and social values is based on results. Our lack of love and compassion makes the rule of law an alien concept to them.
To street families, respect for others’ rights raises questions such as “Are we not humans?” To them, acts we consider crimes are survival tactics necessary to meet immediate needs. We do not just read from different pages; we are reading from completely different books.
With the rise of gang culture in recent years, we must deliberately prevent its breeding grounds and protect potential victims. Street families face the double tragedy of attacks by gangs and forced recruitment. Due to lack of parental care and proper guidance, younger children may join gangs to survive and avoid harm. This situation affects the peace and security of our society. Protecting street children is therefore protecting ourselves.
If we fail, we risk creating the very criminals Robert F. Kennedy warned us about. Article 53 (1) (c) of the Constitution provides children with the right to basic nutrition, shelter, and healthcare. Article 28 further guarantees that every person has inherent dignity and the right to have that dignity respected and protected. These constitutional guarantees must mean more than words on paper. The fact that some Kenyans still consider the streets their home is a gross social injustice.
County and national governments and their agencies have an obligation to ensure the realization of these rights. However, this is also a matter of humanity and morality beyond legality. As citizens, we have a role to play in our own ways. We have acted before when our nationhood was at stake. The famous Kenyans for Kenya initiative is an example.
Addressing the plight of 46,639 street families is a comparatively lighter responsibility. We can contribute even in a few hours using campaigns and hashtags such as “Adopt a Street Kid” or “We All Belong to a Home, Not the Street.”
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The writer is a Criminologist and Faculty Member at Brand Institute of Forensic and Security Studies. Contact: okirodaniel@gmail.com
