ODM Leader Raila Odinga's wife Ida Odinga has told the county government of Kisumu to rid the city of street urchins and take them to orphanages, rehabilitation centers and/or children's homes.
Ida underscored the need to take care of the street families saying they, too, like other children deserved a home, tender care, protection and formal education in society.
"We don't want to see children who are young loitering on the streets and sniffing glue or feeding on debris. No.," She said
Ida called on the county government and line non-governmental organizations dealing with children's affairs to consider taking street children to established homes and rehabilitation centers.
She was concerned with the issue of how to preserve social order or prevent society from reaping itself apart, more so during the harsh economic times.
"Having all children in school is a function for the society because schooling is regarded as an efficient means of training young members in the beliefs, values and behaviors of the society," She said
Speaking during the lighting of the Christmas carols in Kisumu central square, Ida observed that training young people was the sure way of maintaining social order and cohesion in the society.
Empathizing with some of the street families often called Chokoraa, Ida said there is a -need to deal with truants by returning them to 'normalcy' and to the shared values, beliefs and norms of the society. (Value consensus).
Ida also observed that the dysfunctional elements of the society increased with the growth of modern urban cities such as Kisumu and so to avoid sliding into social deviance social control must be ensured.
" We have noticed a trend where strong moral ties that influenced individual behavior in the rural areas to break down in big cities such as Kisumu, Nairobi and others, where a person may feel disconnected or alienated from others and hence indulge into social deviance. This is what we must work to avert," She advised.
Ida claimed in early times there was no view of children as different from adults
They were expected to take up work or become apprentices as soon as they were able or attained the age of 18 and above as is the case for Kenya.
They were still regarded as 'small adults' who had to be carefully socialized to take up their roles in adult society.
To this extent, even street families can be nurtured, trained and taken to technical colleges and vocational institutions where they can still own and harness their diverse talents.
"Children are a distinct group entitled to rights and special protection. They are not just the property of their parents, but the society, too. This has resulted in worldwide social change because those who defy their parents are shaped by the world," Ida explained
She rued the Kisii incident in which a child's eye was gouged out by suspected witches as a bad omen to society and undermined the moral tenets taught in the Bible.
"Sometimes an incident like this one challenges our beliefs and we become victims of a crime that may cause us to look at the world as a scary place so that our usual optimism is dimmed. This is not good at all. We want people to behave well in their respective societies," Odinga advised.
By the same token, Ida said rooted for peaceful coexistence with one another.
But she, however, said social order does not necessarily mean peace and stability, but is defined by the values of the groups in control of social space such as social media and told them to use the platforms productively to help enrich one another and not to scold or disparage people's names without singling or sounding anyone.
The national motto or watchwords are examples of ideals that everyone needs to uphold while engaging with one another.
She was flanked by Kisumu central MP Dr. Joshua Oron, his Mathare Counterpart, Antony Oluoch, Kisumu County Deputy governor Dr. Mathews Owili and Kisumu city manager Abala Wanga.
Others were Kisumu County assembly speaker Elisha Oraro, a host of MCAs and Kisumu residents.
The MPs and Owili asked the people of Nyanza to remain firm and steadfast in their support for Mr. Odinga,saying still there is hope and faith in the ultimate goal or prize.
The Christmas festivals will run from tomorrow through to the new year as part of the peoples' reflection on where they have come from and where they are going with new vigor and aspirations.
