Pay or Be Locked Up: Traders Expose Bribe Collection Racket by Rogue Narok County Licensing Officers

The conduct of county licensing officers in Narok County is attracting increasing attention as complaints continue to emerge from traders who say they are being subjected to irregular demands during permit enforcement operations.

The complaints are centred around enforcement activities in Suswa and Tulele, where business operators claim some county officers tasked with licensing and revenue collection have turned routine compliance checks into encounters that leave traders under pressure to make immediate payments or risk arrest and prosecution.

According to information shared with this publication, one county licensing officer said to be operating a Toyota RAV4 and conducting enforcement activities in the area has repeatedly been mentioned in complaints from traders who question the manner in which permit inspections are being carried out.

One complainant recounts being stopped in Suswa and informed that he was operating without a county permit.

The trader says he later established that the county had not yet begun issuing the specific permits in question at the time of the enforcement action, a discovery that left him questioning the basis upon which the demand had been made.

The complainant further claims that he was instructed to part with Ksh 22,500 and was assured that the licence would be processed and delivered thereafter.

According to the report, the money was allegedly collected without the trader receiving the expected documentation.

The shocking revelations do not end there.

The trader claims that refusal to comply with the demands resulted in threats of arrest and eventual transportation to Suswa Police Station, where he says additional pressure was applied before the matter could be resolved.

He further alleges that payments described as fines were demanded and that additional money was expected before the issue could be closed.

Of particular concern to the complainant is the assertion that the officers involved openly identified themselves as county officials and were dressed in attire bearing Narok County branding.

The complainant says he was even taken to a county office in Suswa during the process, reinforcing his belief that the actions were being carried out under the authority of county enforcement structures.

The allegations raise serious questions about accountability within county licensing operations, especially if traders are being asked to make payments outside established county revenue collection channels.

"Hello Cyprian. Kuna licensing officers kule Narok County. One using a RAV4 KCD, more so Suswa and Tulele. The guys are harassing us sana. Walinishika Suswa sikuwa na permit and upon researching, Narok County still hawakuwa wameanza kupeana permit. The guy demands cash (Ksh 22,500) anasema atakuletea licence, anaenda mitini na pesa, na ukikataa kumpa doo unapelekwa Suswa Police Station. Pale mkubwa wake anakuja, you have to part with the money and some fines, na pia lazima ati utatolea OCS za macho. The boss is demanding I pay the money or job iende, coz anasema sikuwa careful. The guy had county uniform and the boss was also in a green shirt with Narok County logo. Wanipeleka hadi kwa ofisi Suswa."

Licensing and permit enforcement are intended to support lawful business operations and county revenue collection, not create opportunities for confusion, intimidation or unofficial financial demands.

For small-scale traders and operators working in rural trading centres, encounters with enforcement officers can have immediate financial consequences.

Many lack the resources to challenge decisions on the spot and may feel compelled to comply with demands made by officials whom they believe wield the power to shut down their businesses or initiate legal action.

As complaints continue to emerge, attention is now turning to whether county leadership is aware of the grievances being raised by traders and whether internal investigations have been undertaken to establish the conduct of officers operating in the field.

Narok County Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu, the County Executive responsible for Finance and Revenue, and relevant enforcement departments are now being called upon to urgently review the repprts, audit permit enforcement operations, establish whether traders are being subjected to unofficial payment demands and take action against any officer found to have abused public office.

We will be closely monitoring developments surrounding these complaints and will continue following the money trail, enforcement activities and responses from county officials until traders receive clear answers on the allegations being raised.

Any action taken by the county administration, enforcement departments or oversight agencies will be documented and reported as this story unfolds.