City inspectorate officers ‘kanjo’ will soon start using motorcycles for quick response to emergencies within Nairobi.
This is part of the Sh344 million the County Government of Nairobi is set to spend in this Financial Year to boost the Inspectorate Department.
The plans are highlighted in the Nairobi City County Annual Development Plan 2022-2023.
City Hall will purchase 10 new motorbikes at Sh4 million for the inspectorate officers.
“This is for effective and efficient service delivery that will promote response and timely service, “reads the plan in part.
In addition to that, the department will also spend Sh40million to purchase five customized motor vehicles to promote quick and timely services.
The officers have over the years been associated with old, rusty, rugged, frail and rickety vehicles that they use to patrol around the Central Business District (CBD).
Visually, the vehicles have faded paint with the Nairobi City County Inspectorate and Enforcement badge quite visible, windows are ‘secured’ with old and rusted wire mesh.
The vehicles mainly offer rides to unwilling passengers like hawkers and city by-laws breakers who end up being arrested and in the hands of the enforcement officers.
Going further, the department will also splash Sh100 million to purchase 1,000 uniforms of officers in the lower cadre.
“Purchasing uniform for the officers will promote a positive image and better recognition by the public as well motivate the staff,” reads the plan in part.
However, this is not the first time City hall has set aside a budget to purchase uniforms for the askaris.
Nairobi MCAs have been raising concerns every financial year over the non-issuance of uniforms to Nairobi County government security and compliance officers.
This is despite millions being allocated to City hall every financial year to purchase the uniforms.
Most of the enforcement officers especially around the CBD and usually in plain clothes which might be considered as a tactic used while they patrol the area.
In 2016, City Hall allocated Sh 80 million to issue askaris with new uniforms to replace the then grey ones.
The new uniforms were to include numbers, similar to those of the police, identification badges and boots but were never bought
In 2019, Sh100 million was spent on the procurement of new uniforms for the inspectorate officers.
Last year November, City Hall recruited 800 county constables to enhance its efforts to ensure they are independent in providing security for their installations.
However, they have not been issued with uniforms despite their measurements being taken by the Manchester outfitters.
The MCAs decried that it was only a few high ranking enforcement officers who have been issued uniforms by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).
This was after the department which falls under ancillary services was transferred to the National Government as highlighted in the deed of transfer in February last year.
As a result, this left close to 1,600 officers from the inspectorate department without uniforms despite their measurements being taken by the Manchester outfitters.
The legislators had tasked the assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to inquire and report on the status of issuance of uniforms to the county government security and compliance officers but nothing has been reported on the same
To promote capacity building and improve service delivery Sh200 million will be spent this year to construct a modern training facility for the inspectorate officers.
At least a thousand inspectorate officers are currently undergoing a four-month transformational training that commenced in June this year.
The training at Kiganjo Police Training College and Administration Police Training College, Embakasi, is being administered by the National Police Service (NPS).
Part of the training includes inducting discipline and professionalism to the city county personnel to transform them from the brutal and inhuman face to a friendly enforcement service.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director of Enforcement Services Dr Mark Leleruk said the training is critical.
“We want to introduce a new culture of integrity and professionalism with career courses like non-commissioned officers and development courses for corporals and sergeants,” said Leleruk, on secondment from the Administration Police.
“We will also have graduate inspectorate courses. We intend to rebrand and get rid of the culture associated with corruption and brutality especially when dealing with hawkers,” he added. BY THE STAR