This archive report was first published on 25 July 2021.
July 25, 2021 - Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) boss General Mohammed Badi is facing pressure to address the issue of rogue county askaris who have been accused of brutality against traders and hawkers.
Nairobi Deputy Majority Whip Waithera Chege has condemned the recent actions allegedly carried out by the askaris, citing a recent incident where a hawker lost all his teeth after being allegedly handcuffed and whipped by the askaris.
According to Chege, the situation has been handed over to the County Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs committee, which will investigate the conduct of the officers and come up with measures to end cases of brutality by city officers.
Chege also cited an incident in 2014 where a hawker almost lost his eyesight at the hands of county askaris, and urged the assembly to do whatever is necessary to protect Nairobi residents against rogue inspectorate officers.
The concerns have been raised by the public over alleged brutality by the askaris, leading to NMS partnering with the National Police Service to train at least 1,000 of them as part of reforms.
