The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) in Kenya is urging an immediate investigation into the rise of beggars in the country, many of whom are suspected to be from neighbouring nations.
According to NCPWD Rift Valley Regional Director Isaac Rogito, security agencies have uncovered that most beggars, particularly children, are victims of an East African Community syndicate trafficking them to towns for begging.
Rogito explained, “The money they get ends up in the pockets of the traffickers.” He urged the public to understand that giving money to disabled beggars does little to help them. He also called for a crackdown on the trafficking rings and the repatriation of foreign beggars in a humane manner.
Project Coordinator of the Disability Resource Information Center (DRIC), Josephine Mahinda, raised concerns about the influx of beggars from countries as far away as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
She stated, “It is time as a country we said no to streets in our major towns becoming a playground for human trafficking gangs.”
Mahinda highlighted the sexual abuse faced by foreign women and girls trafficked to beg, with many being raped to increase public sympathy.
The men and boys, on the other hand, face regular abuse if they fail to meet begging quotas. She emphasized, “These ‘expatriate’ beggars need to be repatriated to their respective countries.”
A spot check revealed that these child beggars are often poorly dressed and placed in high-traffic areas by handlers.
Mahinda noted that sending them home is a lengthy process, and many return to the streets soon after repatriation. A cartel runs the begging operations, collecting significant sums while exploiting disabled children.
Kenyan towns were previously free of disabled beggars, thanks to efforts to empower persons with disabilities (PWDs) through programs like the Cash Transfer for Persons with Severe Disabilities and the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO). However, the influx of foreign beggars is now undermining these efforts.
Civic leader William Ating’a warned, “Kenya has embraced pan-Africanism, allowing visa-free travel into the country, but this must not be mistaken as giving a carte blanche to cross-border criminal gangs.”
Locals have observed beggars being moved by guides throughout the day to various spots, raising concerns about the growing exploitation.
– By Jane Ngugi, KNA
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