In a rather disturbing development, the government of Zimbabwe issued a statement on Monday revealing that young boys living on the streets of Harare have become victims of paedophiles.
A paedophile is defined as a person who has a strong sexual desire toward children below the age of 13.
According to Zimbabwe has more than 1.6 million children who are orphans and the majority of them are neglected by their extended families and end up living on the streets in abject poverty.
Harare provincial development coordinator Tafadzwa E. Muguti said in a statement that there are reports of motorists who were in the habit of sexually abusing street kids.
We also express displeasure and concern from reports that are coming through the provincial social welfare officer that there are some motorists who are now picking up these street children especially boys and abusing them in their cars, homes and secluded places.
This is truly sad and unacceptable in this new dispensation. We urge the public and the victims of such abuse to report these activities to the nearest police station or reach out to the social welfare offices in Harare, Mr Muguti said.
He added that crime such as rape, sodomy and theft are on the rise among the young boys and girls who prowl the streets of Harare.
Many complaints have arisen of abuse of substances such as glue and dagga, gang rape of young girls whilst the boys are being sodomised, stealing from parked vehicles, harassing pedestrians and snatching food from people, he said.
Mr Muguti said the government was in the process of rounding up street kids and adults living in the central business district and relocating them to safe homes.
The government, working with strategic social development partners and local authorities, has now established safe homes for people living on the streets, he said.
Some of the safe homes that the government has earmarked for the relocation of the street kids include:
