After Sungu Sungu and the headstrong community policing squad are the notorious kanjo officers in Kisii town. These represent Governor Ongwae’s foot soldiers in Kisii County. The reasons why most of these “vigilantes” have a bad public reputation are no longer a secret.
Watching kanjo askaris getting away with human rights abuses is both painful and disturbing. It is a matter of interest because those on the receiving end are often helpless small scale traders.
Unruly and corrupt Kanjo officers in Kisii town
Unlike the Kisii Central Police Station, Kanjo and other vigilante groups do not necessarily care about legal jurisdiction.
That explains why backup law enforcers in Kisii town are not afraid of collecting bribes even when the public is watching.
Exceeding corruption among Kisii town kanjo officers is evident in a series of viral backhanded money videos.
That said, occasional Kisii town chaos between Kanjo, traders, and boda boda riders are not far from what Mohammed Ali of Jicho Pevu displays in the “Kibubusa Cha Kanjo” series.
Chaotic Kanjo officers in Kisii town
Kanjo officers who are normally in groups of five near Mwalimu International Hotel and Telkom Shop are the most annoying.
It is sickening to watch them manhandling motorbike riders with heavy rods while at the same time giving a free pass to their “friends.”
The presence of such backward habits in Kisii municipality is a clear indication of stinking unprofessionalism; even at the county government level.
Cases of violence gone wrong in the hands of Kanjo officers are unceasing.
To start with, one of these county government officers injured a female motorbike passenger with a “rungu” in the process of confronting a rider.
Such cases of injustice are rampant with several of them going unrecorded.
Alleged sexual assault of Mama Mboga
A resident woman called Lydia Gesare is on record for accusing a Kanjo officer of sexual assault.
The tearful mama Mboga from Nyanchwa Estate explained how Kanjo officers forcefully took away two of her vegetable sacks.
A daylong pleading to recover the stock ended in vain. At around 8 pm, an unnamed kanjo officer started firing sexual advances on her.
The offended Lydia slammed his call for a sexual favour in exchange for her perishable stock.
Sadly, her vegetables in both bags were ruined by the following morning.
The emotional video of Lydia speaking to the media went viral but has since disappeared without justice.
Openly corrupt Kanjo officers in Kisii town
In a more recent incident, a kanjo officer was filmed arresting and demanding a bribe from a car owner who had packed at a forbidden spot opposite Mashauri Petrol Station.
The middle-aged officer who had forcefully taken away the car keys denied receiving the bribe through MPesa.
Instead, he persuaded the cornered driver to withdraw the amount across the road, perhaps to avoid generating evidence.
Various video footages display how motorists and traders are suffering at the hands of corrupt Kanjo officers in Kisii town. The situation is only worsening with the Kisii County government missing income worth millions into private pockets.
