Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Education, Youth and Gender Janet Ouko says the initiative will be carried out by Nairobi County in conjunction with National Council for People with Disabilities that will see beggars and disabled people cleared from the streets/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 16 – The Nairobi Central Business District has been declared a beggars-free zone as a major crackdown is set to be carried out on Thursday.
Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Education, Youth and Gender Janet Ouko says the initiative will be carried out by Nairobi County in conjunction with National Council for People with Disabilities that will see beggars and disabled people cleared from the streets.
“The city has recently experienced an influx in number of beggars that spread across major streets and this operation will not stop tomorrow; it will be routine to ensure there is sanity in the city,” she said.
She said that 80 per cent of beggars comprise people with disabilities who are used by business people to extort unsuspecting city dwellers.
She further said those arrested will be taken to Waithaka in Dagoretti for rehabilitation and those from neighbouring countries like Tanzania will be deported.
Facilitators of begging and those business people who use beggars to extort people will also be arrested and face charges for engaging in illegal activities.
National Chairman for People with Disabilities Mohammed Gabbow said that there is enough funding for the disabled therefore they should use the right channels to seek assistance instead of begging.
“The council through the national government has key initiatives that target registered people with disabilities,” he said.
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