Street families menace is our collective responsibility – Thika stakeholders.

Thika residents have been challenged to collectively own up the challenges facing them and together, seek solutions to problems facing them.

Leaders and stakeholders made this call during a street families rehabilitation day that was organised by Thika District Business Association (TDBA) in partnership with the office of the Thika Town MP, Thika West Deputy County Commissioner, Lil Magic Foundation and Samuel Mutonga’s family.

The Monday morning event brought together over a hundred and fifty street children at Mama Ngina Garden who were fed and groomed by various businesspersons and stakeholders working within Thika.

Speaking during the event, Thika West DCC Douglas Mutai attributed the street families menace to a weak society and challenged men to fully take responsibilities to the children they sired.

“Each of the children belongs to a family and unless each one of us takes responsibility to get them off the streets, this problem will never end. I am also challenging the business community as well as all other stakeholders to adopt those willing to go back to school and walk this journey with them until they are independent,” he said.

The DCC oversaw the registration of these families, each stating the reasons they came to the streets and how they wanted to be assisted off the streets.

Thika CDF Chairman Mr. Huruko Njau, who was representing the area MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina challenged every resident to own up this problem as it affected them in one way or another.

“We must learn to be our own brothers keepers. The responsibility to get rid of street children belongs to all of us. Feeding them is not enough. We need to chart out a comprehensive road map to eradicate them all from the streets,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by TDBA chairperson Alfred Wanyoike who called on the business community to join hands and come up with a comprehensive programme to rehabilitate the kids.

Dr. Susan Gitau called on organisations dealing with street children to employ an open door policy where they complimented each others’ efforts and those of other stakeholders to come up with a sustainable programme that would ease the street families problem.

On behalf of the Mutonga’s family who were the brains behind this event, Samuel Mutonga called on the strengthening of the family institution as weak family set ups bore the most blame for the street children menace.

Among those who donated foodstuffs, clothing and other services included; Del Monte Kenya, Kenblest, Capwell Industries, Kenya Red Cross Thika Branch Thika water & Sewerage Company (THIWASCO), Lil Magic Foundation, Nomad Dental Centre, Africana College, County Government of Kiambu, Jungle Nuts Thika Barbers Association, Thika Town Today – 3T, Kiambu County Government and the office of the Thika Town MP.