Hillary Mutyambai, Inspector General of Police
Hi Nyakundi, Do traffic cops along Nakuru - Eldoret have Children? I ask this question with ange because for the second time now, I have been told of harassment by cops of school children on trips whose drivers are arrested, mostly on trumped up charges so that the schools can part with bribes.
Any yellow bus now is fertile ground for extorting bribes from hapless school teachers by these marauding cops.
Those who don't are driven to police stations and made to camp with the children on board until they play ball.
While I support the crackdown on unroadworthy vehicles including school buses, what I detest is subjecting innocent children to such treatment, when the intention is just to extort bribes. This is totally wrong.
One teacher confided with me how these corrupt cops particularly target private schools, perceived to be schools of well-to-do Kenyans and hence demand hefty bribes from them.
Those who resist this form of corruption are made to pay dearly. This teacher told me how one school spent almost the entire night with kids on the bus until the cold forced them to give money to buy their freedom for the sake of the children.
Just today (few days ago), am told how a Eldoret school yesterday spent 5 hours in a police station after a similar experience.
I wish to appeal to the Inspector General of Police Mr. Hillary Mutyambai, DCI, ODPP et al to investigate this and bring it to an end.
I don't defend those schools who flout traffic rules. If they do, by all means detain the bus & driver but let the innocent kids get alternative transport home or to their destinations. They should not be used as hostages for extortion. Otherwise how will our children grow up respecting the police if this is the treatment they get from them?
How will community policing be successful if this is how we treat children?