Kanjos Are Not Allowed Into Private Cars- Sakaja Govt After Viral TikToker Saga

It is illegal for Nairobi County askaris, popularly known as Kanjos, to enter private vehicles, the Nairobi County government led by Johnson Sakaja has clarified.

Speaking to the media, Nairobi Acting County Secretary Patrick Analo revealed that county officers are only required to stop and inform motorists of the offence they committed and escort them to the county offices or to a police station, in the event of an incident.

He made reference to the County Management Act which stipulates the requirements of controlling private and public transport, hence the presence of traffic marshals.

"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. In this case, the officer overstepped.

"There is a reason why we have standby county government vehicles, if one needs to get to the private vehicle, they have to ask for consent, it is wrong to forcefully get into someone's vehicle," he added. 

Analo was responding to a viral video capturing a female motorist, Gloria Ntazola, angrily slamming a Kanjo officer for illegally entering her vehicle. The back and forth had prompted Ntazola to abduct him briefly and speed off along Valley Road, and onto the Nairobi Expressway.

Furthermore, Analo revealed that disciplinary action would be taken against the Kanjo officer, whom he did not name.

"There is a report I’m expecting from that officer and his supervisors which will inform the disciplinary action to be taken. He needs to explain to us under what circumstances he entered that car," added Analo. 

However, the County Secretary also exposed a fault in Ntazola's actions, despite the praise she received on social media by a section of residents, stating that she was against the law to drive the officer to Ngong, as she had alleged that it was an abduction.

"The two of them were in the wrong, the lady should have driven that car to the nearest police station, county offices, or government premises to report the matter. It is illegal to detain somebody, the right thing is to go straight to the authorities," he added. 

"When she was recording the video saying she would spend the whole day with the officer, that was wrong. It is wrong to illegally detain somebody."

Ntazola in the video she posted on her Instagram profile was heard angrily and verbally compelling the officer to explain why he illegally entered her car in response to an alleged parking offence.

In a subsequent interview with NTV, she stood by her actions, revealing that she drove the officer all the way to Kitengela to a point where it was difficult to get a matatu back to the city, abandoning him there as a means of teaching him a lesson.

"I could not allow him to bully me. I locked him in my car and decided that we should waste time together. I wanted to take him on a long ride, but it was a bit late. I used the Expressway to Kitengela," she divulged.

"I took him to Kitengela a place where he could not get a matatu. I left him there and told him to spend his money to get back to the CBD."

Ntazola had notably taken him on a detour through the Expressway from State House Road to show the askari where she lives after the askari had intercepted her from Jeevanjee Gardens where she parked at around 3 pm.

She went on to describe that, usually, the Kanjo officers are not present when she parks her car, as there is a lady who oversees the parking management in that area. However, on the day of the incident, she was surprised when two officers attempted to enter her vehicle and confront her.

“The officer had no right to enter my car without consent, and they are well aware of this. They tried to intimidate me, but I locked the officer inside my car, informing him that I had some free time.

"We embarked on a spontaneous ride, and I was actually looking forward to taking him on an extensive journey. I would have taken him much farther if it weren’t for the late hour,” Ntazola, who owns two shops in the city, added.

Here's the interview courtesy of NTV:

Ntazola's ordeal shed light on the brazen conduct of county officers, with many city residents complaining about their habits and calls to Sakaja to carry out reforms in that sector.

Many have cited instances where Kanjos have clamped their vehicles out of the blue and allegedly forced them to pay bribes.