A family of nine in Kasuku Trading centre in Nyandarua can have a sigh of relief after police officers drawn from area Police station stepped in and paid their rent for three months.
Elizabeth Kamene and her eight children also received beds, blankets and other household items, as well as food stuffs from the officers who answered her plea for help.
“I have suffered for about 10 years, going for days without food and the children have no clothing and beddings. The two girls in Form One rely on government free education and well-wishers to survive and all I get from casual work is not enough to provide a meal a day,” cried Kamene.
The two-roomed rented timber house, with huge gaps on the walls that the family shares, would easily pass for a potato store.
Kamene said that she rented the house to afford her children more space as a one roomed concrete room was more expensive.
The Officer Commanding Kasuku Police Station, Cleopas Juma, attributed the move to the directive for police officers to seek accommodation outside Police Lines which enabled them to witness the needy family.
“Officers came together and mobilized resources from among themselves as well as the community to provide for Ms. Kamene and her children.
“The officers are parents just like their neighbours and they could not watch the children suffer, we are human,” added Juma, lauding the cooperation between the community and the officers that had also worked to curb crime.
The officers also bought them school uniforms, sanitary towels, cooking utensils as well as firewood, which Juma said was a way of paying back as they depended on tax for income.
“I have never witnessed this kindness before. The officers are respectful and visit us in our homes. We no longer have drunkards and drug addicts in this area because the officers have embraced the community,” added Grace Nyambura, who neighbours the police station.
By Anne Sabuni
