• To train about 2,000 kanjo askaris, City Hall will be spending Sh200 million to construct a modern training facility.
• There will be more recruits, professional training, a new facility, new uniforms, communications, vehicles and motorists, and hopefully a better reputation.
Image: HANDOUT
In the eyes of the general public, Nairobi’s Inspectorate Department is full of rogue, disrespectful and inhumane officers.
Whenever the sector, popularly known as ‘kanjo’, makes headlines, it's almost always negative.
The latest problem occurred in July when a hawker nearly lost his teeth after being accosted by askaris after he failed to produce a Sh100 bribe.
These stories have gone on and on for years; public complaints abound, so do city promises, virtually nothing changes.
In the latest effort to reform the sector, City Hall plans to pour millions of shillings into professionalising, streamlining and fixing the department's soiled reputation.
To train close to 2000 kanjo askaris, City Hall will spend Sh200 million to construct a modern training facility. However, because there is no facility, Sh58 million will be used to train 2,657 employees in a phased approach.
Reforms will include better training of recruits, traffic control, law enforcement officers, sentry services and VIP protection.
As part of the Sh1 billion allocated to the security and compliance sector for FY 2022-23, Sh619 million has been set aside for inspectorate transformation.
To address the staff shortage, 500 inspectorate officers will be recruited costing Sh180 million. These officers will address nuisances such as hawkers bylaw breakers and parking boys.
The Ann Kananu-led administration has already advertised the positions.
Nairobi MCAs have always complained about the lack of uniforms for county security and compliance officers.
They don't have uniforms despite millions of shillings being allocated to City Hall every financial year to purchase uniforms.
They complain that only a few high-ranking enforcement officers were issued uniforms by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services.
As a result, this has left about 1,600 officers from the Inspectorate department without uniforms, despite their measurements being taken by the Manchester Outfitters.
Therefore, Sh100 million will be spent to purchase uniforms for the lower-cadre askaris.
In June, at least 1,000 inspectorate officers started a four-month "transformational training".
The training at Kiganjo Police Training College and Administration Police Training College, Embakasi, is being administered by the National Police Service with NMS and City Hall.
The training includes instilling discipline and professionalism in the city-county personnel popularly known as 'kanjo'. The aim is to transform them from feared enforcement officers to a friendly enforcement service.
Further, Sh10 million will be used to instal five boosters in Kibra, Kasarani, Westlands, Makadara and City Hall.
The money will also buy protective gear, walk-through detectors, cameras, communication devices and other equipment.
City Hall has been outsourcing breakdown services from private owners, but soon the city will spend Sh30 million on three breakdowns, one heavy and two small.
Inspectorate officers will also start using 10 new motorbikes for Sh4 million to respond to emergencies.
“This is for effective and efficient service delivery," the plan reads.
The sector will also spend Sh10 million to purchase 10 pieces of investigation equipment for quick completion of cases and improved service delivery. It will spend Sh15 million for three vehicles
Thirty new communications devices will cost Sh2 million.
"Another Sh10 million will be used to buy 2,567 sets of various protective gear, equipment and tools,” the plan reads.
(Edited by V. Graham)