Dear editor, a hidden pandemic is upon us. As much as we leach in on this scavenger economy, I’m left wondering why in a short time span the number of street kids has almost doubled. And are we even legible to call them street kids, for majority of the beggars are now moving in homesteads. It’s quite obvious something is not right.
I realized a few days ago that they are following street lights. It’s funny and this might sound ridiculous but it’s true. It hasn’t been a month or two yet since Kisaasi traffic lights were installed and now children are filled on their walkways begging. They will literally stick onto your path like glue. The same for Ntinda. A troop sits on its walkways. What happened to these children being only in the city, in populous areas such as Wandegeya ? Is the competition higher? Is the street business harder than we know it ?
A few weeks ago, there was a fight among female street kids that occurred near the Kira traffic lights. I’m not sure if they are girls or mothers. Or both ? From what I could make of it, it was a petty fight that left our eyes bleeding at the spectacle of nudity that we were exposed to as a result of the girls tearing each others T-shirt’s off their bodies. As men looked on in disgust, I was left thinking if this is the greener pastures these children ran away from villages seeking.
It is estimated that the streets of Kampala are filled with tens of thousands of street kids. Ironically many are running from their villages and homes because of poverty. It’s ironic, how many leave villages thinking this is the land of opportunity. Kampala is a desert and no one should leave their homes for this barren land.
Something we need to address dear editor, much as these families are disguised in seeking greener pastures, and they do not know better, there are tens of thousands of children on the streets who have no claim to an education and much as we plan on eradicating poverty by 2030, there will be more tens of thousands by that age who will make this dream a failure.
The government should do more than just stopping well wishers from giving alms to the street kids. They should restore their homes, advocate for peace and clean the streets of them. No child in 2023 should be on the streets begging as their age mates are attaining an education.
BY BOY FIDEL LEON
The writer is a student of journalism and communication
