Return of Kanjos: Residents in pain at the hands of county askaris

Initially meant to uphold order and enforce compliance by managing county bylaws, a breed of rogue askaris has turned into agents of fear and terror, perpetrating acts that defy the very principles they are intended to safeguard.

From unwarranted assaults on traders to shocking abuses of power, the actions of rogue Kanjos paint a grim picture of lawlessness within the confines of those tasked with upholding it.

And as their notoriety grows, questions of accountability, training and the unchecked power wielded by inspectorate teams demand urgent attention.

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In counties such as Nairobi, Kisii, Embu, Kakamega, Nakuru and Machakos, they operate as a law unto themselves, notorious for arresting hawkers, trampling on their wares, imposing fines, sexual harasssment and confiscating goods with their presence often marked by old vans with rusty grills.

More than a decade into devolution, the echoes of the past seem to persist given recent events in which they have been captured harassing people in the name of enforcement.

Despite introducing training programmes to transform county askaris into ‘professional’ inspectorate teams, recent incidents suggest little progress, raising concerns about a potential resurgence of ruthless enforcement teams.

The most recent incident in Machakos, where a county inspectorate team attacked and stripped naked Kalama MCA Boniface Maeke within Machakos courthouse premises, has triggered widespread condemnation.

Mr Maeke resisted arrest by the officers before some of his colleagues and public members intervened. The legislator was left nursing a broken ankle during the attack.

Yesterday, county askaris James Mwendwa Muindi, Albanus Muli Maluki, Joshua Kitolo Mutiso, David Ouma Otieno, Cliff Benson Kimeu, Simon Musembi Ndeto Bonface Kioko Musyoka, Evans Mwambi Muthenya, Alex Wambua Musembi and Jeff Musyoki Mutangili covered their faces in shame when they appeared in a jammed Machakos court.

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Police are planning to charge the county law enforcement agents with robbery with violence . Machakos governor Wavinya Ndeti has ordered investigations into the alleged attack, stressing the need for her administration’s personnel to adhere to the rule of law.

An analysis by the Nation has, however, shown there have been similar episodes in different counties that have raised alarm, indicating a lack of discipline and professionalism within county inspectorate teams.

But what ails county inspectorate officials?

The underlying issue, according to governance expert David Ngugi, is the failure of counties to retrain and rebrand inspectorate teams, fostering a professional image and a positive relationship with the public.

Incidents of harassment, torture, and bribery evoke memories of the past Kanjo units, calling for comprehensive reform and cultural change within these teams.

“The bad and ruthless behaviour by county askaris predates devolution. It is unfortunate most county governments, after devolution, have not seen the need to re-train the groups formerly known as council askaris to instil professionalism in them,” said Mr Ngugi.

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Last week, county enforcement officers raided Nakuru War Memorial Hospital and forcefully took over the premises despite a court order barring the same.

In a fit of fury, relatives of a patient undergoing blood transfusion cornered one of the officers accused of disconnecting a dialysis machine.

In Nakuru, in yet another incident in 2019, the image of the enforcement team came into sharp scrutiny after they were accused of rounding up street children, whom they dumped at Chemasusu Forest in neighbouring Baringo county.

Five of the children are still unaccounted for to this day.

In Nairobi, governor Johnson Sakaja last November suspended three inspectorate bosses over inhumane treatment of traders, motorists, and business owners.

Those suspended were Mr Tony Kimani, a security and compliance chief officer; Benjamin Omondi, director of City Inspectorate, and Carol Njuguna, assistant Director of Operations.

In a statement, City Hall said Nairobi residents must be treated in a humane manner.

“Following a series of events and investigations into recent incidents in various parts of the city involving traders, motorists and business owners, it has been decided that the officers be suspended,” said the county secretary and head of County Public Service Patrick Analo.

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A bodaboda operator yesterday narrated how he was forced to pay a Sh1,000 fine despite being in a designated zone within the City Hall area.

“I was picking a customer opposite City Hall who had ordered for a ride, but even before she settled, two people in civilian clothing appeared and snatched my ignition key before taking my motorbike to a holding area,” the operator said.

In Kisumu, Ms Beatrice Magolo, 38, was dragged on hot tarmac by inspectorate officers after an arrest. According to Magolo, she was arrested by county askaris as she moved along Angawa Street in the March 2021 incident.

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Governor Anyang Nyong’o suspended 12 county enforcement officers who were captured on camera in the act.

Last week, Mombasa deputy governor Francis Thoya convened a crucial meeting with inspectorate divisional commanders and their heads.

Discussions focused on matters of service delivery and restoring discipline among officers.

The Kilifi county inspectorate team was also recently revamped to help in the county’s revenue collection

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Additional reporting by Pius Mundu and Kevin Cheruyoit