‘Emergence of Lusaka Street kids worrying’

LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes THE growing numbers of street kids in the Lusaka Central Business District (CBD) is worrying and there is need to ensure that they are removed from the streets, Independence Ward14, George Daka has said. Mr Daka wondered where the street kids were coming from when government had removed them from the streets […]

‘Emergence of Lusaka Street kids worrying’
LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes THE growing numbers of street kids in the Lusaka Central Business District (CBD) is worrying and there is need to ensure that they are removed from the streets, Independence Ward14, George Daka has said. Mr Daka wondered where the street kids were coming from when government had removed them from the streets to avoid them being infected with COVID-19 and that most of them were seen at Hungry Lion on Freedom Way. However, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Child Development Emmanuel Mulenga has clarified that the youth currently patronizing Lusaka’s CBD are not homeless. “Those we are seeing in the street are below the age of 16 they are coming from homes and they just patronize the CBD of Lusaka in search of cheap labour and handouts from the citizens,” Mr Mulenga said. In separate interviews, Mr Daka said the ward would engage the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development in the matter to ensure that they were removed from the streets.  Meanwhile, the Minister said they had spoken to the police to ensure that they were on alert and make made sure no street kids or youths were found loitering the street of Lusaka to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.  Mr Mulenga said as Government, they had removed the street kids aged below 16 years and that it was a continuous process. He said that those who were seen patronizing the streets of Lusaka were coming from their homes to beg from people in the CBD. Mr Mulenga urged the public not to give handouts to the youths who were patronizing the streets to deter them from being in the CBD and exposing them to the risk of Covid-19 infection in the process of receiving handouts. “We have spoken to the police to be alert and make sure they do not allow street kids or youths along the streets of Lusaka,” Mr Mulenga said. The Sun