Labour Ministry to conduct census of street families, foreigners to be repatriated

Speaking before the Senate on Wednesday, CS Mutua stated that the government is committed to improving the welfare of street families and restoring their dignity and privileges in order to reintegrate them into society.

He noted that the number of street families in the country has increased significantly, owing to an increase in destitute children and families, displacement due to natural disasters, and harsh economic conditions.

Mutua stated that the Ministry, through the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund, is developing a plan to rescue the families and repatriate those from other countries.

"We are reworking the rehabilitation and identification of street families. Some of them we are seeing in our country are foreigners that have come to Kenya because it is an economic giant in the region," he said. 

"We are working on that so that we can get them sent back home to their countries and also those that are here can be taken back to the countryside where they come from and also taken to school."

He also stated that the Ministry is collaborating with the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs to conduct the census in order to ensure a smooth process of rehabilitation for street families.

"We are undertaking a census; we are just waiting for budgetary allocation so that we can have a breakdown not only of [identifying] which ones are Kenyans and those who are not but also where they come from in Kenya," Mutua noted.

"Also [to] identify the main cause of ending up in the streets. We want to find out if it is it family breakdown, poverty, or are they being used as child labour because we are very concerned about trafficking."

He therefore implored Parliament to allocate sufficient funds to enable the Ministry to implement its vital programs aimed at ensuring the welfare of street children.

Upon rescue, beneficiaries will undergo an assessment to assess suitable placement within the education system, and those above 18 are also given their 1D cards. 

Mutua also intimated that internship programs will be availed to those with professional training.