Do not run from the Kenyan police.....

Since I have finished one of my term papers I can let myself blog. Any of you who have been priviledged enough to receive e-mail from me know my signature, “Do not run from the Kenyan Police, you will only die tired!” It may seem funny but it is actually a true reflection about how our police have been operating for a long time. This is a link to a story on the Nation on-line, Maimed by crazed policemen. In this story a man who was a productive member of society was beaten into a bloody pulp by policemen who were out for revenge because one of their colleagues had been killed by thugs in downtown Nairobi. So as payback the cops went out of their way to beat down anyone who couldn’t state their case fast enough, members of the fourth estate were not excluded.
Anyone who lived in Nairobi remembers the days of the dreaded flying squad. This was a group of specially trained policemen who were supposed to crack down on crime and were just a phone call away.They had a most disturbing m.o, they would spray everything that moved on the scene with bullets then ask questions later.Some people actually used to use them as an adhoc hit squad eg jilted people would call them and say that the car their ex happened to be driving at the time was stolen, so the flying squad would come in and apprehend the "carjacker" by spraying him/her with bullets.They used to go to the extent of branding innocent people they had killed as wanted criminals and planting guns on them.Due to public outcry the whole program was overhauled.
Bribery and corruption with the Police is rampant.Lately they have been cracking down on it.It is most prevalant in the traffic division and many policemen campaing to be moved to that department.When policemen in that department are interdicted and set to be transferred there are many who would rather resign then face the lack of goodies in their new assignments.Street policemen have been known to harass everyday people on the streets, hassling them for their identification cards.Woe unto you if you dont have it on you, you will be branded a loiterer and be made to walk patrol with them the whole night or until they get to the station but there have been cases where some policemen have made people walk with them upto downtown Nairobi which is a dangerous place even during the day then just letting them go!There are also the policemen who go around in vans rounding up people from the streets late at night,rounding those up who are drunk or unable to bribe them and packing them in the back like sardines.My friends and I used to do things like this in uni when we knew that we would be in town late, in one pocket carry your I.D and 200/= for the police and in the other pocket carry 200/= for the thugs you may run into.
Going to get anything done in a Kenyan police station most of the time is a frustrating exercise that shows you how backward the bureaucracy is.One has to come in and fill the O.B ( Occurence Book ) sit down and wait for any officer on duty.When you get one after a long wait you have to wait for him to look for a pen and write down your statement in triplicate ( apparently photocopiers are hard to come by ).Then in the case of an assault you have to fill in a P3 form.The police cant afford them so you are given a copy that has been copied so many times that it is hardly legible and you have to photocopy it and give them the original.Reporting a rape can be a harrowing experience for a woman as many times there is no female officer on duty and even those who are there are not appropriately trained in terms of sensitivity and counselling.There was talk of opening a special station to deal with sexual crimes but I don't know if anything has been done past lip service.The Police are woefully underfunded and I remember some years back when people used to call their local stations as they were being attacked by thugs the police would tell them that they have no fuel and would have to wait for morning.I remember some people being robbed somewhere in Karen and as they screamed the thugs screamed with them!It seemed that they knew how innefectual the police were, there was a case of how when thugs attacked a house they actually volunteered to call the police for the family.There are areas in the outskirts of Nairobi ( Kahawa Sukari ) where people bought land and built large homes to develop the area.The government in turn did not fund the building of a police station in the area so lawlessness became the order of the day.So many people have been robbed of all they know in that area that many moved back to where they had come from.I had a friend who lived there and people used to ask him whether he came from that place where gunshots were their doorbells.
Anyway all the blame for the insecurity in Kenya which is said to be improving or worsening depending on who you are listening to can not all be laid on the laps of the police. The police are underfunded,overworked,demoralised and underpaid.The current government has pledged funding but they have not pledged enough.I think that living in their mansions and gated communities that they have understated the importance of security to the people,economy and potential investors.Well let it not be said that The Acolyte is not socially conscious!Anyway that is my Public Service Anouncement for today back to the irreverent Acolyte you all know and love!