Sakaja unleashes kanjo recruits on hawkers, boda bodas in Nairobi
Street hawkers run with their wares on River Road, Nairobi, to avoid arrest by Nairobi City County askaris on July 17, 2022.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is on the spot for releasing hundreds of inspectorate recruits to the streets before their planned graduation.
This is after it emerged that the plain-clothes recruits, operating like goons, have been harassing hawkers, traders, and motorists caught breaking the city's bylaws.
This was revealed at the County Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC), where the heads of security and compliance appeared to answer questions following complaints from members of the public.
According to JLAC chairman Jared Akama, the committee received complaints from a section of traders who claimed that the county government had released unqualified officers on the streets without uniforms, making it difficult for them to distinguish between kanjos, as they are commonly referred to, and the imposters.
Acting head of the Inspectorate department Eva Wangechi Wairiuko told the committee that indeed the recruits were yet to graduate and that they agreed to send them out as interns to learn how things are done.
“We expose the recruits in all the areas of our jurisdiction— general duties, traffic duties and all the duties that we have. We expose them so that they can acquire knowledge in specific areas,” she said on Thursday.
While Ms Wangechi said that it was a normal procedure, it emerged that the recruits were supposed to graduate in July last year, which did not happen due to financial constraints.
“We are discussing the issue of low budgetary allocation and what we don’t have in the centre, more so is the issue of uniforms. This is a discussion that we have been having with the office of the County Secretary and the office of the governor, and they are aware that we have a constraint on uniforms,” Ms Wangechi said.
The committee session got heated when members of the county assembly learned that more than 700 recruits were in the streets despite not taking the oath.
Kiamaiko MCA Joseph Ndungu said that the county was putting the lives of the young recruits in danger by exposing them to the streets without insurance cover.
“They have been arresting people in the city, including imposters, but I want to know the specific duties that they are supposed to do. I believe we are putting those boys and girls in a very precarious situation, and we are endangering their lives by working without uniforms,” Mr Ndungu said.
Director of Operations in the inspectorate, Benjamin Omondi, said that they could tell how the Sh20 million that had been set aside to facilitate graduation was used.
Mr Omondi said that the attempt to reach the office of the governor over the matter that has exposed their department has not been successful.
“The governor’s office insists that funds have been used somewhere else,” Mr Omondi told the committee.
The committee members agreed to have an urgent meeting with the executive side to fully address the matter and whether they can secure funds from another kitty to facilitate the graduation of recruits.
Across the streets, a group of recruits who are working in groups, some with reflectors, can be seen enforcing the law by arresting hawkers who are operating in restricted areas.
As the debate over the increasing number of inspectorate officers in plain clothes continues, Mr Sakaja has issued a directive to have all the officers in uniforms with their names clearly except for the few who are pursuing special cases.