MCAs want askaris' college upgraded

City MCAs want the Nairobi County Inspectorate Training College revamped to produce better askaris.

The legislators say the college in Dagoretti has no modern training facilities, competent administration and updated curriculum for effective enforcement of county laws .

Imara Daima MCA Kennedy Obuya who moved the motion on Wednesday urged the executive to develop a policy for the college.

"Our inspectorate officers have never undergone any training on the updated curriculum since devolution started. They are not updated and that is why the department has problems with the public," Obuya said.

The inspectorate department's duty is to enforce county laws and regulations, which the department undertakes in key areas such as markets and licensing.

Justice and Legal committee deputy chairman Moses Ogeto said the inspectorate college is in "a very dilapidated state and is underfunded."

He asked the assembly to give the inspectorate department a higher budget to improve its work.

Nominated MCA Mbugua Kabiru said county askaris are often accused of harassing innocent residents.

"The officers should be taken through the current curriculum where they will be taught how to handle people in a more humane way. The officers should protect the people and not causing harm to them," Kabiru said.

The MCAs want the inspectorate college to have an updated curriculum that will provide paralegal training, anti-terrorism, disarmament, compliance and enforcement.

The legislators the city should hire new inspectorate officers. Obuya said the department last recruited in 1998.

Minority Whip Peter Imwatok said new officers should be recruited because the department needs "an energetic and vibrant team which can handle security matters in a modernised way."

Last year, former City Hall senior inspector Peter Mbaya said the department was overwhelmed.

He said only 97 askaris operate within the CBD and an additional 300 were needed. 

During night operations, about 15 askaris go on patrol and its impossible to cover the county.

"It is a fact the Nairobi Inspectorate Department must be reformed. Why is it that our inspectorate officers are always not clean? We cannot allow a situation where one is a goon and an inspectorate officer at the same time," Imwatok said.