A social protection officer in Kilifi, Kenya wants the abuse of the elderly to be deemed a national disaster in the country.
The Head of the Social Development and Protection, Consolata Machuko said the cases of harassment and killing of the elderly in the country is in an alarming state.
According to the Nation, the official said the elderly in the country are being rejected, disrespected and ridiculed.
“There is a big problem in the county and many elders get mistreated differently. They are killed, chased from their homes, and seek refuge in rescue centres,” she said.
She said in 2022 alone, there have been at least 143 cases of elderly abuse in Kaloleni, 95 in Kauna and 97 in Magarini.
She said some of these cases are with raft-related and have led to the deaths of the aged.
“Sometimes the matter is settled in a kangaroo court and subjected to oaths. This must stop,” she said.
“Even though the elderly are safe in the centres, the situation is worse since the numbers keep increasing. But they are living like internally displaced people (IDP) in the camps, staying in tents donated to them and grass huts in the forests under the mercies of well-wishers,” she added.
She said the elderly people at their protection centres are watched round-the-clock to ensure they’re safe.
“These old men and women undergo mental health problems, depression, trauma, and other psychological torture and they need counselling,” she said.
On Wednesday at the World Elderly Abuse Awareness Day, Machuko said;
“We want abuse of the elderly to be given attention and declared a disaster.”