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Stop embarrassing government, motorists urge traffic police

Traffic police in the country have invented a sly way of siphoning cash from motorists, a situation that is more embarrassing to the state than asking for bribes.
The trend of begging by the officers on the road has irked motorists who have been left wondering whether the law enforcers are being paid salaries and allowances like their other counterparts in the civil service.
Claims among motorists are that the officers have adopted a new strategy of receiving cash by literally begging for items like water, soda, newspapers and lunch in a polite manner that leaves one parting with Sh100 or more without raising an eye-brow.
“I have been severally accosted by smiling officers at roadblocks who after going through normal vehicle compliance scrutiny would peep through the window and politely ask for water or any other item without harassing me,” said Peter Otieno, a regular commuter on the Migori/Kisii highway.
The crafty habit, he says, apparently follows a move by many vehicle owners and especially of Public Service Vehicles who withdrawn their vehicles from the roads after failing to abide by the famous ‘Michuki’ road rules.
The truth, according to motorists talked to, is that many of the matatus that were a cash-cow for the police are still out of the roads and that the conduits for bribery cash to the police are limited.
“The only available source of easy cash for the officers is now to play good public relations with the private car owners to get something,” another traveler Janet Boke said.
“A Sh100 gift from Anyango, Sh500 from Gichana and may be Sh1, 000 from William, given out from clean hearts could look better for the officers than pressing for bribes from traffic offenders,” said Boke, who also alluded to being asked for sodas by officers at road blocks on the Kisii/Nairobi route recently.
Another motorist, Maurice Maweu however says it is not wrong to be philanthropic to the officers by offering them lunch or water but it should not be routine begging.
“It can be normal behaviour but to others such requests for freebies by the officers can be perceived as begging and in that case, an embarrassment to their employer,” reasoned Maweu.
But it is more regrettable that the officers have now turned to harassing boda boda operators through arresting them on flimsy charges and asking for heavy bribes.
“They have identified the motorcycle taxi operators as being too vulnerable in regards to the traffic rules and are now making a kill from this lot,” a pedestrian said.
“It is better to offer free gifts to officers out of choice rather than coercion for an offence. When one gives willingly, it is not fair to view that officer as a beggar,” one police officer in Migori who spoke on condition of anonymity.
By George Agimba

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