Twelve Kisumu County askaris who dragged a woman by a vehicle yesterday morning have been suspended.
Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o said he was saddened and shocked following the arrest and mishandling of the trader by the city’s enforcement officers.
“As investigations continue on this matter with the urgency it deserves, I have directed the City Manager to immediately suspend from duty all the officers who were involved in this incident with immediate effect, until the conclusion of the on-going probe on the matter,” he said in a statement.
The Governor stated that all County enforcement officers must carry out their duties while fully respecting human rights of wananchi.
He also stated that residents should also respect the city’s regulations and the Rule of Law.
“I will continue to update members of the public and our traders on this matter even as I wish the injured Lady a quick recovery,” he said.
In a shocking video yesterday, some county askaris were filmed dragging a woman on the tarmac in a speeding vehicle.
The video shows the askaris rushing the terrified and screaming hawker to Central police station.
Beatrice Atieno, 39, was left with injuries after the incident that was shared widely on social media.
She reported the matter at Kisumu Central police station OB No.35/24/03/21.
The widow and mother of four who lives in Rabuor and runs a stall at the Kisumu stage but it was demolished by county askaris. She resorted to hawking to feed her children.
Yesterday morning while hawking around the county hospital, city askaris jumped out of their vehicle and surrounded her.
“I was shocked to see the county askaris surround me as others tried to take away goods from my head. Another held my hand while another was pushing into the vehicle. The vehicle was moving and they sped off with me from hospital area to the station,” she said.
Atieno’s son who followed up the matter was arrested and locked up, she said. It was not the first time she was roughed up.
Kisumu residents condemned the incident, saying they had witnessed at least four such cases in less than a month.