Your days are numbered, EACC tells bribe-loving traffic police
Traffic police officers mount a roadblock on Langata Road in Nairobi in mid-April 2021. The EACC has urged commuters who witness police officers taking bribes from public service vehicles to report them to the anti-graft agency.
What you need to know:
- This comes after the EACC arrested four traffic police officers in Matuu in Machakos County who were allegedly found soliciting bribes from motorists.
- EACC boss Twalib Mbarak said so entrenched was the vice that officers higher up the chain waited for their cut every week from their juniors posted to all major roads.
Police taking bribes from motorists along major highways have been put on notice with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) announcing a fresh crackdown on corrupt officers.
EACC boss Twalib Mbarak said the move is meant to dismantle corruption cartels within the traffic department at the National Police Service.
“Traffic stops have become unofficial toll stations where police officers openly take bribes. We want the public to help us in the fight against this vice because we cannot do it alone,” he said.
Speaking in Kwale County, Mr Mbarak said that, other than intelligence gathering, the EACC is banking on citizen whistleblowers and commuters to take photos and record serial numbers of officers seen taking bribes.
“If you are in a matatu and a police requests for bribes from the conductor, take a picture of them and tell them that you have sent it to me. You should not allow matatus to pay any money to police,” he said.
Reduce corruption
Mr Mbarak said that the system to deal with traffic offences has to be easy, conducive and convenient to reduce corruption along the highways.
This comes after the EACC arrested four traffic police officers in Matuu in Machakos County who were allegedly found soliciting bribes from motorists on the Matuu-Mwingi highway earlier this week.
The EACC team ambushed the traffic patrol team around 10am on Sunday.
Mr Mbarak said so entrenched was the vice that officers higher up the chain waited for their cut every week from their juniors posted to all major roads.
He said intelligence gathered by EACC detectives had revealed that traffic officers who fail to give enough money to their bosses are usually transferred to less busy highways.
“There is a major problem in the traffic department because the policemen revealed to us that, when they set up roadblocks, they are supposed to send a certain amount of money to their superiors,” he said. Kenyans, he added, would rather pay bribes than be punished for breaking the law, which they flout often.
Traffic offenders
“You will find that, for instance, as a CEO, I would want to drive beyond the speed limit just because I am a senior government official. The same is happening with diplomats and cabinet secretaries in Nairobi. This must change,” he said.
Another challenge, he said, was the amended Traffic Act, which provides hefty fines for traffic offenders.
“Parliament thought the fines would lead to a reduction in traffic offences, not knowing that this was a catalyst for more corruption,” he said.
Mr Mbarak pointed out that many Kenyans pay bribes to avoid arduous court processes. He called for automated traffic fines so that those found breaking the law can be given tickets and pay their fines directly via mobile money.
In Kwale County, matatu and tuk tuk operators had raised concern over rampant corruption where traffic officers demanded to be paid at least Sh100 at each stop on the Likoni-Lungalunga highway.
