Uasin Gishu County Assembly leader of the majority Julius Sang has asked the Ministry of Health to consider putting street children on compulsory family planning.
The Megun MCA says this is one way to help contain the rising number of street children in Eldoret town.
Sang further notes that currently, even underage street girls have little children they are taking care of.
“The situation in Eldoret town is worrying. Street families, even the underage ones have children,” said the ward representative.
“We are going to make enforcement that health officers should speak with the street families so that they get family planning. I do not know if it is legal but we’re going to do it anyway,” he added.
According to the MCA, the town might not be able to handle the rising number of street families if no action is taken.
“There is no way we will continue allowing street families to get children yet we don’t know how they will get food and other basic facilities,” he said.
Laws on family planning
The proposal to put street families on mandatory family planning is however illegal. Kenyan laws allow anyone to voluntarily choose to get family planning or not.
Further, the National Reproductive Health policy 2020/30 does not allow any healthcare worker to give contraceptives to minors unless they are accompanied by a parent or a guardian.
Meanwhile, just like all major urban areas across the country, there has been a concern over the fast rise in the number of street children in Eldoret.
Some of the street children have been linked to insecurity within and around the city centre.
“The Ministry of Health must do something to those street families,” said the Megun MCA.
Looting in Eldoret
Concerning a recent clash between traders and county enforcement officers, the Uasin Gishu County Assembly leader of the majority described the incident as unacceptable.
He also said the MCAs will support all efforts by the county government to restore order within the town.
“Eldoret is going to be a city in the next few months; we want to make sure this is a peaceful city,” Sang said.
“Those who want to disrupt business in town should know that this is a place for peace-loving Kenyans,” he added.
Following the clash that led to some of the businesses being looted by criminals who took advantage of the situation, the county has since shut down the Eldoret Retail Market for ‘sanitisation.
The market was the centre of the clash as police and county enforcement officers were seeking to clear out traders operating using carts.
However, market laws do not allow individuals in carts r movable stalls to operate within the facility.
