Sakaja faces backlash over ungraduated recruits harassing Nairobi traders

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is facing backlash after sending hundreds of ungraduated inspectorate recruits to patrol the streets.

The recruits, who are not in uniform, have been accused of harassing traders and boda boda riders for breaking city by-laws.

The controversy has sparked a wave of complaints from traders, who argue that the recruits' lack of uniform makes them indistinguishable from thugs.

The County Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, led by Chairman Jared Akama, has received numerous grievances from traders who say they feel threatened by the recruits’ actions.

The issue came to light during a heated session where security and compliance heads were questioned about the recruits' presence on the streets before completing their training.

Eva Wangechi Wairiuko, Acting Head of the Inspectorate Department, defended the decision to send the recruits out as “interns,” claiming that exposing them to real-life situations was part of their learning process.

“We expose the recruits in all the areas of our jurisdiction—general duties, traffic duties, and all the duties that we have. We expose them so that they can acquire knowledge in specific areas,” she explained.

However, it was revealed that the recruits were meant to graduate in July last year, but the graduation was delayed due to financial constraints, particularly a shortage of uniforms.

The session took a tense turn when it emerged that over 700 recruits had been working without taking an oath and without insurance coverage, raising serious concerns over their safety.

Kiamaiko MCA Joseph Ndungu expressed his concerns, saying, “They have been arresting lawbreakers, but I want to know the specific duties that they are supposed to do. I believe we are putting those boys and girls in a very precarious situation. By working without uniforms, we are endangering their lives.”

Adding to the confusion, the director of operations in the inspectorate, Benjamin Omondi, revealed that the Sh20 million allocated for the recruits' graduation was unaccounted for.

Despite attempts to reach the governor's office regarding the matter, Omondi reported that no clarification had been given, and the funds appeared to have been used elsewhere.

“The governor’s office insists that funds have been used somewhere else,” Omondi told the committee.

In light of these developments, the committee members agreed to hold an urgent meeting with the county executive to address the issue and determine whether additional funds could be sourced to facilitate the graduation of the recruits.