Tragic Deaths of Nairobi’s Street Families Demand Action

In Nairobi, a spate of tragic deaths among street families has highlighted an old urban crisis.

Recent post-mortems on the exhumed bodies from alleys, streets, and other public places have shown that respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, have been the major cause of death.

Pathologists also pointed to malnutrition and injuries as contributing factors, which highlight the harsh realities of life for people living on the fringes of Kenya’s largest city.

At least 15 street-connected individuals died over the past month alone, with ten of the bodies buried in a collective ceremony at Lang’ata Cemetery.

The victims included young adults and infants, some as young as three months old.

Police and health authorities collected these bodies from multiple mortuaries, including the City Mortuary and Mama Lucy Hospital, after they were found unclaimed on Nairobi’s streets.

The factors behind these deaths go beyond medical diagnoses.

Pneumonia, though a medical condition in itself, may also be considered in relation to underlying social issues like continued exposure to cold, lack of shelter, and weakened immunity from poor nutrition, all issues rampant in the lives of street families who live on the streets without any form of protection.

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A Crisis of Homelessness and Vulnerability

The deaths are happening in a country that is in a crisis of homelessness.

In reference to the 2018 National Census of Street Families, there are an estimated 46,639 people living on the streets across the country, with Nairobi contributing the highest number of street dwellers.

The number of street children in Nairobi is estimated to be around 60,000.

The actual number of street families is not known due to inconsistent data collected over time.

Poverty, displacement, the disintegration of families, and the eradication of slums are some of the underlying problems that have led to people living on the streets.

Without access to housing or a stable income, many families and children are relegated to living in squalid conditions, scrounging for food and shelter, and exposed to increased risk of disease and violence.

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No Support from Children’s Department

The burial ceremony of the 10 children was majorly attended by their fellow street families.

Notably absent were representatives from children’s departments of the government, which many people saw as a telling indicator of institutional apathy.

Indeed, calls to address the problem have become louder and more urgent, including not only healthcare but also the underlying determinants of homelessness.

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