Traffic Police Officers a Threat, EACC tells Kimaiyo

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission wants Inspector General David Kimaiyo to disarm traffic police officers over fears that those cornered taking bribes might use their guns to avoid arrest.
According to the commission’s Chief Executive Officer, Halake Waqo, the officers have resorted to arming themselves a month after 10 of their colleagues were nabbed on the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway for soliciting bribes from motorists. The anti-graft detectives recovered KES 100 and KES 1,000 notes from the officers who were then manning the Kiti, Eveready and Shiners checkpoints.

In a letter dated November 26, Mr Wako argues that the officers are being militarized indirectly and they have taken the vice into overdrive while fully armed.
“It has come to our attention that traffic officers on duty on various spots on the Nakuru road are accompanied by at least one or two armed officers in possession of range rifles, a matter that has raised serious concern particularly coming soon after the arrest of some traffic officers along that route. We are further perturbed that the officers are now collecting bribes while fully armed,” he argued.
The letter also points out EACC officials’ fear of being shot if they try to arrest any officer engaging in taking bribes.
“It is our opinion that the militarisation of traffic regulations enforcement is uncalled for and unnecessary and we request that you intervene and reverse this dangerous trend,” the letter further read.
The commission has also written yet another complaint why the Kiambu police boss, Gabriel Mulei, is still in office, a year and half after being charged in court, contrary to the law.