“sir please help
me with 500 i haven’t had lunch” one beggar repeated this phrase with such
clarity and frequency i could think of a million ways he could earn a living
just from the statement....if only it wasn't so irritating
beggars come in
different sizes and shapes, the only thing all have in common is the fact that
they have vowed not to work for another day in their lives. it’s like they are
retired people whose pensions are supposed to be paid by passers by
but why
would one wake up early and head for the street to beg for a living,
is it
because one is crippled?
well so
is butcherman, sam gombya and the street vendor who sells ladies fashion
accessories at the lower gate of pioneer mall who happens to be crippled in
both legs but resisted the lazy urge to beg for a living
is it
because one is mentally challenged?
one
would argue that by the time a human being is coordinated enough to figure out
that if he positioning himself strategically on the street and holding his hand
out while looking miserable can get enough money to buy lunch, he is not
mentally challenged, he is just lazy
maybe
he is just a kid brought to the street every morning and monitored by his poor
parents while he begs ?
yes
parents send their kids to streets every morning to make money but some send
them with goods like maize, compoud brooms etc to sell ( these are business
activities which don't need much capital to engage in) not to beg
the fact that we
have fallen for their con just makes the problem worse. i see "good
Samaritans" giving these beggars money and walking away with this
"proud of my self" look, like they have just cured cancer, not knowing
they have just made a problem worse
see these beggars
are on the streets today just because someone gave them enough money to make it
through yesterday and those street kids do not go to school because these
"good samaritans" make the streets lucrative for them. these kids
will grow up without knowing much about the value of hard work. by giving money
you are creating future thieves, so if you have a range rover in your future
plans, don't cry when it is stolen. you created a monster
the solution
of course the
best solutions to this problem are systematic but you and i can also play a
significant role in making this problem go away
as an individual
all you have to do is walk by, mind your business and pray it rains. if we all do this i guarantee you, in 3
months, there will be no beggars on the streets
but incase that
fails, government should intervene. It should fine or arrest all the good Samaritans
giving money to beggars. if it finds this hard to implement, it should give the
public powers to make a citizens arrest of any good Samaritan
alternative occupations
it would be mean
of me to suggest chasing these people off the streets with out giving them
options, here are a some of the productive
activities they can engage in without much adjustment to there daily schedule
one can cover a
pothole with their body and help a vitz to smoothly pass over
since beggars
stand in the sun the whole day they could hold solar panels on their heads and
help supply electricity to the national grid
acceptance
no plan is
complete without a contingency plan. so in case the above plan fails we should
take steps to formalise the act of begging and treat it like any other formal business
activity
for starters,
they have to pay taxes, by the time those who work hard to get their money pay
taxes, what of those who get money with out working
next, the street
children should make a monthly contribution to nssf, so they have savings to
fall back on when they are no longer cute enough to attract donations from
sympathisers or savings to fall back on when i become president ( which ever
comes first )