Police and road users: Is there bad blood between the two?

A section of Kenyans has given mixed reactions about how police officers relate with road users.

In Kakamega County, residents interviewed said there exists bad blood between traffic police officers and road users, especially with those operating Public Service Vehicles.

A resident cited an incident where a traffic police officer based at Kakamega Central Police Station was hit by a matatu driver along the Kakamega-Kisumu Highway in December last year.

The officer who was riding a motorcycle attempted to overtake a matatu while chasing after a lorry and knocked down a woman who was crossing the road.

An angry matatu driver hit the officer accusing him of causing obstruction instead of enforcing law and order.

A crowd that had gathered at the scene demanded the woman be rushed to nearby Kakamega County General Hospital but the injured officer was left writhing in pain at the scene.

In Homa Bay County, drivers had dissenting opinions on how they relate with police in line of duty.

Jared Mwai, a driver, said some police officers harass them on the road. “I feel some police officers are not helping us on the road because they harass us. Some demand bribes as if that is their right.” 

Livingston Okiki, a driver, said some police officers are good while others interfere with drivers’ work.  “Some are very responsible in their jobs and they work to help the public. But some of them are rogue.” 

Kisumu residents believe that the stigma associated with past encounters with the police in the region during events such as demonstrations could have caused bad blood between the officers and citizens.

According to Kisumu Residents Voice Association chairperson Audi Ogada, citizens who have fallen victim of police brutality or extortion do not have adequate respect for the police and would be quick to disregard their orders. 

“Generally the relationship between the public and the police is not cordial. I’m no exception. When you see police officers applying excessive force on members of the public let’s say during demonstrations, you tend to think they’re operating outside the law,” he said.

Audi however was quick to explain that whereas several officers have been accused of lack of integrity, there are equally many police officers who are highly professional in the manner in which they do their work. 

He has called for an enhanced effort to improve the relationship between the public and police through frequent engagements, especially during calmness saying that the frosty relationship between the two groups also has a lot to do with culture and attitude that dates several years back. 

“We’re stuck on our culture and attitude. The civilian culture and attitude towards the police has not changed and so is the police culture and attitude towards civilians. This is where we have the barrier,” he said.

In the matatu sector, members agree that the relationship between the police and the public has improved a great deal even though there are still cases of confrontation between the two groups in their line of duty. 

“In the matatu sector, our relationship with the police in recent years has been okay except for some few incidents of disagreement that occur here and there. Through the leadership of various matatu saccos, we have really tried to improve our relationship with the police,” said Shem Ochuodho, the chairman of the Kisumu Main Bus Park. 

[Benard Lusigi, James Omoro,Clinton Ambunjo, Clinton Ambujo, Anne Atieno]