Street children in Isiolo may be locked out of the ongoing registration for Huduma Namba for lack of the required documents as the exercise’s deadline nears.
A majority of them claim they do not have identity cards and birth certificates which are key requirements for the registration process.
A former street kid, Abdi Mohammed said that most of the children are orphans and those abandoned by parents at birth, making it difficult to get the documents.
Mohammed called on the Ministry of Interior to assist them to get the Huduma Namba to ensure they are not locked out of the government’s services in future.
“We are demanding for special attention because most of us are emotionally tortured when asked to go for our parents whose whereabouts we do not know,” Mohammed said.
Another street boy, Evans Sidika echoed similar sentiments, saying they feared that they will not be able to enjoy
services given by government institutions such as hospitals if they fail to register.
“I went to register for Huduma Namba and I was told to produce a birth certificate which I do not have.So I decided to go back and wait for concerned authorities to intervene,” lamented Mark Mwenda, another street child.
Mwenda urged the government to take the matter seriously and look into a way to help them since they are Kenyan citizens with a special need.
By Victoria Nkatha/Lydiah Njenga
