Every evening police lob teargas canisters supposedly to hawkers along Kirinyaga road, Tom Mboya street and all roads between them. This is done by Kenya Police Service at the request of City Hall. Lost to the high command of the two institutions is that this strategy has not worked for the years they have deployed it. Hawkers still come the following day. But its not hawkers who get affected, my thoughts are on the many innocent pregnant women leaving work and are caught in the one sided running battles. Those who are in Nairobi for the first time and are forced to run for their lives in the process losing track of the directions they were given when leaving home. Traders who have to close because of the teargas fumes and move to a safer place. Would Kenya Police and City hall devise another strategy ? Havent they seen teargas hasnt worked for years now? Who benefits? I propose that they talk to Mutunga (Chief Justice) who will put a magistrate on stand by at 5 pm to 8 Pm for a week. Nairobi command and City Hall can then deploy plain clothes officers at an appointed hour and arrest a few hawkers. Once about 50 hawkers are arrested and jailed in one evening and for several evenings, hawkers will simply melt from streets. For now jeopardizing lives of the unborn with tear gas fumes makes civilians think of the sheer thoughtlessness in our police.
Posted on: Mon, 05 May 2014 06:58:11 +0000