Let the NYS absorb street children

Monday’s death of a street urchin along River Sosiani in Eldoret town highlights a growing menace in nearly all urban centres in Kenya. Reports indicate the homeless boy was attacked by a wild animal as he slept by the river banks.

This incident just took my mind back to the initial noble mission of the now re-branded National Youth Service (NYS).

However, let’s first appreciate that there has been a rising number of homeless people in towns and the authorities seem unable to contain the upcoming street families. We, as a country, have tried to rehabilitate such children for a long time. Former Vice-President Moody Awori gave a big shot during the Narc administration and recorded some success. But along the way, the programme lost steam or it was overwhelmed by the growing numbers of street families. NGOs, individuals and local authorities across the country have also offered such street families some help.

Some successful former street children are giving back to the society through children’s homes of their own or by giving donations to orphanages. That is all too good, but it is not enough.

Indeed, my view is that homeless youths are a waiting time bomb. They view themselves as having nothing to lose and therefore are ready fodder for unscrupulous politicians and business people seeking to use violence. We have already heard of gangs for hire used by land grabbers in major towns. These are the goons paid to demolish buildings or protect erecting of illegal structures in grabbed plots in complete defiance of court orders.

With presence of disgruntled youths, violence during elections will always hinder our growing democracy. The pool of jobless and unskilled youths will always provide easy targets for unpopular politicians to use intimidation against well-meaning and prosperous leaders. For how long should we allow such characters to get elected using bribery and violence?

My suggestion would be for the national government to chip in generously and tap into the energy, skills and talents in such desolate youths across the country. The county governments will also come in. How about absorbing such youths into the new look NYS? Why not give them priority during recruitment into the NYS, which aims at transforming Kenyan youth for the better? Let us rescue these unfortunate youths from ruin and help make our urban centres and the country at large, safe and hospitable. We will also have secured our nation’s future and the generations to ahead of us.