Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria has urged members of the public to stop giving money to street families, warning that the cash is often used to buy drugs and other harmful substances instead of helping those in need.
In a statement on Sunday, June 15, Mosiria said the county has since launched a targeted operation to remove street families from Nairobi’s streets.
He noted that some of those begging in the city are not genuinely homeless but have turned the streets into a source of free money.
"We have started an operation to remove street families from our streets because some pretend to be homeless and beg for money. When offered support to go home, to rehabilitation centers, or shelters, they often refuse, being used to free cash on the streets," he explained.
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Mosiria is now appealing to well-wishers to avoid giving money directly to individuals on the streets.
Instead, he encouraged Nairobi residents to support vulnerable people by providing food or connecting them to registered shelters and rehabilitation centers.
"I urge anyone who wants to help not to give cash but to buy food and encourage them to return home or connect them with homes for the homeless. Giving money only fuels drug peddlers who sell substances to these vulnerable people in the CBD," he said.
In a bid to curb the supply of harmful substances to street families, Mosiria said the county has also begun raiding outlets and individuals selling drugs such as jet fuel to street families.
"We have also begun raids on those selling jet fuel and other harmful substances to street families," he confirmed.
This comes a day after Mosiria denied reports of mobilizing goons to infiltrate the protests that were organized over the death of Albert Ojwang.
In response to a screenshot of a WhatsApp group chat that was being circulated on Friday, June 13, Mosiria stated that the reports were sponsored propaganda.
He noted that the screenshot was fake, urging the public to disregard its contents.
Reports had alleged that Nairobi county government officials mobilized goods to disrupt the protests held in the CBD.
In the group chat, officials allegedly discussed how to compensate the goons after the destruction that was witnessed during the protests.
"Sponsored fake propaganda," he responded.
