Traders, motorists decry harassment, extortion by Sakaja’s ununiformed Kanjo recruits
Traders and the motorists say they are unable to differentiate between the Inspectorate team and thugs as they do not also have identification documents
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is in the spot for releasing inspectorate recruits who are yet to graduate to the streets to collect revenue amid claims they have been extorting traders, motorists and boda boda riders.
The recruits who are also accused of harassing those breaking by-laws, including hawkers, in the Central Business District (CBD), operate without wearing uniform.
“There is a new wave of Kanjos giving us a hard time. They come and impound our vehicles and ask for up to Sh10,000, which at times we may not have. We are having a hard time,” a motorist explained to The Informer Media Group.
Traders and the motorists say they are unable to differentiate between the Inspectorate team and thugs as they do not also have identification documents.
“We really can’t know whether these are people from the City Inspectorate or whether they are thugs. They harass us daily, and if you do not give them money, you’ll have a hard time,” a trader explained to The Informer Media Group.
They have called on Governor Sakaja to ensure his team is well-dressed and has identification cards for proper identification.
The complaints by the traders and motorists come after the head of Security and Compliance appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee weeks ago to respond to the allegations of harassment.
The team, which was led by the Acting Head of Inspectorate, Eva Wangechi, confirmed that indeed the ununiformed inspectorate team is a group of recruits who are yet to graduate and that they were sent out as ‘interns’ to learn how to perform their duties.
“They are interns sent to learn how things are done. We expose them in all areas of our jurisdictions, including traffic. We expose them so that they can gain knowledge in the specific areas,” She stated.
The recruits were supposed to graduate last year in July, but they did not due to financial constraints.
She added that the constraints on uniforms have been an issue due to low budgetary allocations.
“We are discussing the issue of low budgetary allocations and the issue of uniforms with the office of the governor. He is aware of the constraints of uniforms,” she stated.
The Director of Operations at City Hall, Benjamin Omondi, however, revealed that Ksh 20 million had been set aside for the graduation of the officers but they cannot account how the money was used.
Omondi stated that Sakaja’s office said the money was used for other purposes, which they have never been unable to establish.
“The governor’s office insists that the money was used somewhere else,” Omondi said.
The Legal Affairs and Justice Committee Chairperson and Mugumoini MCA Jared Akama said the committee would meet with the executive to ensure money is secured from another kitty and facilitate the graduation of the young men and women.
Kiamaiko MCA Joseph Ndung’u raised concerns about the lives of the young recruits being in danger as they do not have insurance coverage.
“By working without uniforms, we are endangering the lives of the young boys and girls. It is certainly putting them in a precarious situation. We need to know what duties they are specifically supposed to do,” Ndung’u stated.
A source at City Hall said three recruits were arrested last month for extortion. Apart from the CBD, they also operate in the estates.
Weeks ago, a female City Inspectorate officer, who was not in uniform, was also assaulted by hawkers who claimed she was harassing them to give her money.
This led to Environment Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria warning that the action by the hawkers will not go unpunished.
Over the years, the Inspectorate team has been notorious for harassing traders, especially hawkers, whom the County government says do not pay revenue, even though they claim to be giving lots of cash to the inspectorate officers on a daily basis to avoid arrests.
There have been claims that the senior officer at the Compliance and Inspectorate Department are the ones who give targets to the juniors who are sent to collect the money and ensure that their daily collection target is met.
However, some of the inspectorate officers have perfected the art of extorting rather than collect revenue for City Hall.
Some even operate at night extorting those selling eggs, sausages and chicken parts especially around the city’s fringes such as the OTC area.
