Sakaja Changes Tune On Arresting Kenyans Recording Kanjos After Uproar

Nairobi Governor, Johnson Sakaja was on Thursday, April 4 forced to take back his sentiments on giving county enforcement officers, popularly known as kanjos, the full authority to arrest Kenyans recording and taking photos of them during raids.

His directive on Monday, April 1 which came during an engagement with the officers, sparked uproar across the capital city with fears of the bad blood between the officers and city residents over various issues likely to escalate into a civil war with the directive in place.

Speaking during a session of the Nairobi County Assembly in his State of the County address, Sakaja clarified that Kenyans could still be free to record the county officers, possibly film them in a movie or TV series on their own volition, but on one condition.

The residents, he added, should not interfere with the officers' daily task of enforcing their mandate, further highlighting scenarios where citizens have obstructed kanjos from performing their duties.

"To set the record straight and to be clear, there is no problem in recording officers as they perform their duties; if anything it leads to increased accountability. You can even shoot a movie if you want," Sakaja said.

"What we will not accept is obstructing them or inciting the public to turn against them as they perform their duties. We have had unfortunate incidents where some of our officers have been attacked in their line of duty. This is unacceptable and we will not tolerate this. We must let our enforcement officers do their work."

Sakaja subsequently issued a strong warning to Nairobi residents who obstruct kanjos in their line of duty, emphasizing that such actions are punishable under Kenyan law.

According to him, Nairobi residents affirmed their desire for a city of order, which he noted will be maintained.

He further called on members of the Assembly to support the county government in protecting kanjos and ensuring they are held accountable for their actions.

"Honorable members I really expect your support in protecting our officers but ensuring that they also have accountability for the work that they do and that they treat the people of Nairobi with dignity.

"This is an affirmation we have made and intend to keep," said Sakaja. 

During the engagement on Monday, Sakaja complained that some Kenyans turned to theatrics as a last resort in a bid to save their business establishments from being raided by the enforcement officers.

He added that while the days of Kanjos engaging in running battles with hawkers in the city are long gone, some people still want to sensationalise arrests, a matter he claimed has been largely aided by social media users who use their phones to record and expose the arrests. 

He cited instances of some hawkers deliberately throwing the goods that they sell to the ground and causing hysteria to the point of drawing widespread attention.

"The days Kanjos used to engage hawkers in running battles the whole day, has it ever happened? No. There are no running battles, there are none.

"But a few people, because they are looking for clout, they want to sensationalise things. You arrest someone he or she throws their things and because of social media people come to record that they have been arrested," Sakaja complained, arguing that the arrests are necessary to maintain order in the capital city.

He had directed the kanjo askaris to arrest individuals who attempt to obstruct them from maintaining law and order by recording them to expose them on social media, alleging that such acts amount to obstruction of justice.

Nairobi inspectorate officers along City Hall Way on November 16, 2021. /THE STAR