Nairobi County’s inspectorate department is one of the dreaded units in the eyes of public opinion.
Commonly known as Kanjos, the unit has found itself amid a storm numerous times when its officers are in the course of discharging their mandate.
The latest incident occurred last week when a woman by the name of Gloria Ntazoia went viral for taking a Kanjo Askari for a 'ride to nowhere' after he allegedly entered her car without consent.
Ntazoia narrated that the officer was among four others who had the intention of harassing her for allegedly doing nothing wrong.
"Mimi sijafanya makosa. Parking nimelipa na umeingia kwa gari yangu bila ruhusa. Sasa leo ntakupeleka hadi kwangu, ntaenda na wewe kila mahali naenda," she said in the video that was widely circulated on the social media.
This is loosely translated to: "I have not done anything wrong. I have paid for parking but you have forced your way into my car without consent. For today, I will drive you around, take you to where I live and everywhere I will go".
The incident is one of the many dramatic encounters a section of Kenyans have faced at the hands of Kanjos.
While many appeared divided on who between the lady and the Kanjo askari was in the wrong, Nairobi City County acting secretary Patrick Analo said the inspectorate officer overstepped by getting into the woman's vehicle.
Analo said the Kanjo Askari should have asked for consent before taking the action.
"If someone makes an offence, you stop them and read to them what traffic offence they have committed, and you escort them to the nearest police station or county offices," he said.
"In this case, the officer overstepped," Analo added.
Kanjo laws
The Nairobi City County Inspectorate Act, 2017 outlines the mandate of the Kanjo Askari, including the do's and don'ts.
The functions of an inspectorate officer include carrying out inspections within Nairobi to ensure compliance with set standards in respect of the functions of the county government.
"The officers are supposed to regulate and control traffic on county roads and keep order and prevent obstructions in county public places," reads the act.
Also, the askaris are to provide security services to county government properties as well as perform any other duties that may be prescribed by this Act or any other written law from time to time.
Kanjo do's
The Nairobi City County Inspectorate ACT Section 20 permits a Kanjo Askari who is on duty to stop any person whom he or she witnesses or suspects of doing any act that is in contravention of county law.
This includes being in possession of anything for which a permit, license or certificate or pass is required under any county law and has no such permit, license or certificate.
The act also says that a person who fails to produce a license, permit, certificate or pass within 48 hours when called upon to do so, may be arrested without a warrant by a Kanjo.
A Kanjo officer may without a warrant, also arrest a person who is accused by another person of breaching any county law within his enforcement jurisdiction in any case in which the officer believes upon reasonable ground that such breach has been committed.
Any person who obstructs a Kanjo Askari while in the execution of duty and whom the officer suspects upon reasonable grounds of having committee or being about to commit a breach of county law, can be arrested without a warrant.
However, the law also states that every arrested person shall as soon as not more than an hour after being arrested be handed over to the police station in the jurisdiction within which the offence has been committed.
Also, any items seized by Kanjo should not later than one hour be handed over to the police station in the jurisdiction within which the offence has been committed offences.
Don'ts
The law states that it is illegal for any Kanjo Askari to subject a person to torture or other cruel and degrading treatment.
"An officer who subjects a person to the above shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a minimum term of 25 years," reads the act.
