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A lobby group has raised concern over the rising numbers of male adults spending nights along the streets of Kisumu Town.

Statistics by the Kisumu Streets Children Rehabilitation Consortium indicate about 318 male adults have been sleeping on the streets over the last eight months.

Addressing the press at the weekend during the Area Advisory Council (ACC), Chris Page, the consortium chairman expressed concern that a further rise in the numbers could pose a security challenge in the town.

He said some of the street boys came from as far as Uganda and Tanzania.

“From the census we conducted, we realised that over 60 per cent of both the street children and adults did not come from Kisumu but from the neighboring countries and counties,” he said.

He attributed the high numbers to many cases of child neglected, family disintegration, drug abuse, cultural traditions and physical and sexual abuse.

He also called on parents to take good care of their children and also be like their role models for them not to run into the streets.

“Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we have managed to successfully rescue 346 from the streets,” said Page.

He however added that rehabilitation of the children was their main challenge since the government closed all Charitable Children Institutions (CCI’s) and Rehabilitation Centers to contain spread of Covid-19.