The County Government of Nairobi has addressed the widely circulated video featuring one of its inspectorate officers involved in a confrontation with a female motorist. In response to the incident, County Secretary Mr. Patrick Analo has expressed his views.
Mr. Analo acknowledged that the officer’s actions were in error when he entered the motorist’s vehicle without permission. However, he also emphasized that the vehicle’s owner should have taken a different course of action. In his words, “It is also incorrect to detain someone simply because they unlawfully entered your car. In such a situation, the appropriate action is to promptly proceed to the nearest police station. Both parties involved bear responsibility for this situation,” Mr. Analo stated.
Condemning the incident as a breach of duty, Mr. Analo assured that the county would take disciplinary measures against the officer who exceeded the bounds of his role. He further clarified that this action would be taken with fairness towards both the accused officer and the complainant, a well-known TikToker, commonly referred to as Ntazola.
In his statement, Mr. Analo expressed his expectation for a report from the officer in question and his supervisors. This report would serve as the basis for determining the appropriate disciplinary action. He emphasized the need for the officer to explain the circumstances under which he entered the motorist’s vehicle.
The viral video depicted the female motorist’s threat to drive from Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) to her residence in Ngong, a distance of 20 kilometers. In another video clip, she was seen driving along the Nairobi Expressway with the officer seated beside her as she continued to voice her grievances.
Mr. Analo pointed out that by declaring her intention to drive the officer to Ngong, this action could be considered as abduction. Furthermore, he clarified that the law does not permit inspectorate officers to enter private vehicles without proper authorization. Instead, he suggested that if there is a concern that the motorist may flee while the vehicle is being inspected, an alarm can be raised to facilitate the vehicle’s interception.
Regarding the issue of informal traders or hawkers facing harassment by inspectorate officers, Mr. Analo indicated that this matter was under the jurisdiction of Governor Johnson Sakaja. He also mentioned that the county was in the process of relocating these traders to the backstreets.
As part of this effort, the county plans to establish 2,000 hawking slots equipped with sheds in the backstreets of the city. Additionally, designated streets will be identified where hawkers will be allowed access to the CBD during specific hours and days. Mr. Analo stressed that this initiative aims to integrate approximately 800 registered Nairobi hawkers into the economy, enabling them to fulfill their tax and fee obligations.
