Come for your motorcycles, police tell operators

Police in Nairobi have appealed to Boda Boda operators whose motorcycles are being detained at various police stations to pick them up.

Nairobi Traffic boss Joshua Omukata wants those with petty and minor offenses to appear before the stations where the motorcycles are being detained for the release.

He said the motorcycles will be released free of charge.

He made the appeal following reports that there are hundreds of such motorcycles in stations in the city after they were involved in incidents.  “Tell the owners to come for them. Most of them are petty offenders and we have decided to release them,” he said.

He however warned the motorcyclists against being involved in crime, saying such will not be attended to for now.

Omukata said they will address those with minor offenses including accidents, lacking insurance covers and licenses.

The motorcycles are some of the issues making police stations untidy.

Police have since launched a major cleaning exercise of the stations after it emerged they are in a deplorable state.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i commissioned the exercise and asked the public to adopt a station and ensure they are clean and reconstructed to enhance police productivity.

Most of the structures including prisons were constructed several years ago and are falling off because they are old and poorly maintained.

Matiang’i said there is an urgent need to improve the image of the structures and working environment for all police officers in the country to boost their working morale.

He said communities should fundraise and construct standard houses and stations for police the same way they do for churches and mosques.

“Communities fundraise to construct churches, mosques and even houses for clergy. Why can’t we raise money to also construct for an Officer Commanding Station of an area near you?” he asked.