APs flog council askaris over kiosk licence

BY ANTONY GITONGA

Naivasha town is known for its flower production but many are the times the thorns on the rose stems prick.

Odd and frightening events have emerged from the lakeside town whose name is derived from a Maasai word e-na-iposha (busting waters).

A week ago, the town continued to live to its expectations when two government departments clashed, literally, paralysing operations. Residents were treated to a comedy of the absurd as council askaris clashed with Administration Police officers for over an hour. Roles were exchanged as the askaris, whose presence sends hawkers scattering for their lives, were the ones fleeing.

Dressed in their conspicuous grey ‘combat gear’, the askaris met their match. It all started at a canteen constructed on the AP grounds without the council approval. The council had served the canteen management with a five-day notice to either demolish the structure or follow the laid down procedure.

Bad dream

"Failure to comply, the council will take further legal action including demolishing the structure and recover costs from you," read the notice in part. Four askaris on patrol were summoned by some APs manning the canteen to explain the notice. Just like in the movie Full Metal Jacket the askaris were ordered to conduct various exercises as a crowd cheered.

"Kifua mbele, matako nyuma!" screamed one of the APs to the askaris who at first thought it was a bad joke. The four were ordered to roll over on the dusty ground before been directed to bend and touch the ground with their middle finger and go round in cycles.

"Afande mimi naskia kizunguzungu na kutapika naninaomba msamaha tu. Sisi ni wafanyi kazi wa serikali kama nyinyi," a sweating and heaving askari pleaded.

Great humiliation

Bernard Mathenge, a council askari, said they were ordered to frog-match.

"The officers were armed and we had to comply with their humiliating orders, which left us nursing injuries," he said. After 30 minutes, they were released full of dirt and feeling dizzy.

This angered fellow workers at the Naivasha Municipal Council and after a hurriedly called council meeting, it was directed the canteen be brought down. Armed, the council askaris backed by Mayor Paul Karanja, councillors and senior council officers descended on the canteen.

It was then that hell broke loose!

Gunshots were fired, teargas canisters hauled, blows exchanged, buttons ripped off and lips bloodied.

In the end, both sides counted losses. Two council askaris were admitted in hospital and one AP nursed wound on his finger after an askari bit him to avoid arrest.

"The action by the council is like putting your hand into a beehive," one of the APs was heard saying.

The AP boss Michael Njau apologised. And to show commitment, Njau offered two officers to accompany the council workers wherever the go to collect revenue.