The police keep urging citizens to establish friendship with them as the relationship will build up an easy connection for reporting and nabbing criminals. However daily as well, the police break headlines by harming the same common mwananchi.
In new revelations,bar owners in Maralal town have accused the police of seriously harassing them.This is all because of a protection fee that is not legal.
According to reports by the star,”They walk in pairs and ask for Sh200 protection fee daily. If you don’t give them the money they arrest you,” said a bar owner who sought anonymity for fear of being victimised.
The traders also accused police of taking Sh2,000 every week and arresting their employees as they walk home after work at 11pm.
They said police ask for Sh5,000 before arrested employees are released.Bar owners want Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to intervene.
“We are going to write a petition to the CS to transfer all the officers. We are unable to do business in peace,” they said.
Samburu Police Commander John Karanja said any officer caught soliciting for bribes will face the music.”Anyone found collecting bribes will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
Samburu Central Commander George Opere denied the claims of police demanding protection fee. He however mentioned that everybody has the right to conduct their business without being harassed by the police.
The police and National Government are perceived to be the greatest human rights violators according to the latest findings by Amnesty International.
The report dubbed the 2018 Human Rights Survey finds the police are at 33 percent followed by National government at 28 percent.
The two are followed by members of the public at 12 percent and County government at 5 percent.
Majority of Kenyans also believe that the biggest risk to their lives is denial of health services, unlawful police killings and harassment as well as poverty.
According to the report, one out of 10 Kenyans say they have experienced a rights violation at some point in their lives and one in three Kenyans has seen or heard about unlawful killings by the police in the last six months.
“Kenyans feel that the police reforms are yet to be felt”,said Amnesty International Kenya, Executive Director, Irungu Houghton.
Do you think this police men will stop harassing these business men after their uproar?