They say “ukitaka kumuua nyani, usimwangalie sura”. One would wonder how they are expected to kill without looking at them. Since most people have learnt some literature they understand that proverbs are not to be taken literally. For this case, concerns are that one would sympathize with the monkey. When cornered, their dark faces, I believe will be more sorrowful.
Without looking at them in the face, it would be easy killing them. In real life, the monkey here could be a criminal or any person who deserves some punishment.
I have for a long time seen police take bribes. A friend of mine has given bribes upon my eyes. I have never found myself dealing with the police on a one to one basis. The day I will come to deal with them I only pray that I am sober and not caught unaware.
They take advantage of getting people unaware. In moments like those, the people are always frightened and would not want to face the law. They feel if they finish the matter there and then, they will be free. For example, a driver speeding to Eldoret at 5pm., would he stay to wait for a court case or give two thousand shillings and have his way?
Finishing the matter means giving the police money, yes the bribe. The notorious group is the traffic police. These men and women of blue uniforn have taken as much bribes as they can. In fact, their major source of income these days is the bribe. They will not stop. Again, a miracle is needed for this.
In the rural areas, the police stop vehicles and surprisingly they don’t stop. I like taking the front seat. That is where I noticed how things work. The money is dropped on the ground. This can be seen from the side mirror. It is always fifty or a hundred shillings. Within a day, Kisumu to Kakamega road have almost 1000 matatus. That’s a minimum of fifty thousand a day.
In a month, it rises to three hundred thousand. How many routes do we have in Kenya? You now know why it is difficult to stop the business.
In the cities, there is a lot of money. Try and do the mathematics. The offenders in Nairobi give to the tune of five hundred and above to avoid handed over to the courts, some of which are alongside their roads of work. It is this that we need to solve.
Sometime last year, I walked to Mbagathi police station in Nairobi. I noted the shanties they stay in (I cannot dare call them houses as that would be an overstatement). They are metallic cylinders with pyramid roofs. In one of those houses, I am made to believe that two officers stay in.
Sometimes the number shoots to three. Some are married and stay with their wives and children. What of the female police officers? Do they stay in groups? And what happens when their husbands visit? Striking imagery there.
The money they are paid is little and cannot rent houses, cater for fees, fare, food, entertainment, clothing, bills and more. People back home depend on them as well and drains the pocket more. Do you still need to know why they take bribes? Police are human beings.
They need a lot but earn little. Ways of reducing their way of corruption is all over. We have discussed it for generations. If you look at our police, you will even sympathize with them and wish you had authority to allow them take more bribes until the government