What are the police doing about highway of death?

Mike Owuor

Relatives, friends and colleagues of Martin Njuma, the pilot murdered on Uhuru Highway, Nairobi, last month, had the option of mourning in private and letting the matter rest.

Instead, they took the bold and selfless step of using a moment of personal grief to go public in an effort to ensure no more lives are lost on this "highway of death" where thugs reign at night as police slumber.

After erecting a billboard near the spot of the crime and holding a peaceful protest, the group said its actions were a wake up call for better security. They even proposed the building of a police post in the area.

Brutal thugs

Ironically, on the day of the march, a senior police officer was quoted in a Sunday paper making the outrageous statement that Njuma put himself in danger by driving at that time of the night. What impudence!

Insecurity on Uhuru Highway, PointBlank notes, is a matter we raised last year (Left for dead, five hours after attack November 6). The question to Internal Security Minister George Saitoti is: What are police doing about it?

　

Rules leave tea farmers frustrated

Stringent rules introduced by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) may be a burden to farmers, says Mr Michael Chepkwony in Mogogosiek, Konoin Constituency.

"There is a new requirement that a tea leaves collection centre must be of specific measurements and have stone walls before it is registered. It is the poor farmers who contribute towards the construction," he says.

But, notes Chepkwony, multinational firms use temporary sheds yet this does not seem to have affected their businesses.

He also takes issue with the rule that farmers must carry tea leaves in sisal bags, which are very expensive. He suggests that these bags should be sold at a subsidised price. Ironically, says Chepkwony, the bags used by factory officials to carry tea leaves are usually "full of dirt".

"Farmers are also not allowed to transport leaves to collection centres using donkeys. This forces them to carry the loads on their backs. What difference does this make?" Chepkwony asks.

He also claims the powers of clerks to accept or reject tea leaves should be regulated to avoid biases. He hopes KTDA and Agriculture Minister William Ruto will re-examine the rules.

　

Awendo’s awful security

Why, asks a "concerned resident", should police allow criminals to take over the small town of Awendo? He claims that every day a gang attacks residents and motorists around Kanindo Primary School, near a Seventh Day Adventist church and a private hospital.

"They hide in the school compound waiting to rob anybody unfortunate enough to use the route," he says.

He wonders: Are Awendo police not aware of these criminal activities or are they simply sleeping on the job?

The resident adds that on Monday a Government official based in Migori was carjacked at 8.30pm by armed robbers. Although the police tried to rescue him, the robbers took off with the Toyota double cabin pick up after abandoning the official in a sugarcane plantation.

No action

"Last month a gang robbed two supermarkets, stealing money, mobile phones and other valuables from staff and customers. No action has been taken although one of the criminals was alleged to be a police officer from a nearby station," he claims.

The resident asks Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere to stop this terrible tale in Awendo.

　

Leafy suburb, shoddy road

Even though he has brought the attention of City Council of Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia to the pathetic state of Githunguri Road in Kileleshwa, Mr Duncan M says no action has been taken. But, he claims, a section of Ring Road is in even worse shape and has led to accidents.

"There is a huge hole in the middle of the road right in front of Shell Petrol Station. It was apparently caused by a burst water pipe," he says.

Duncan adds that avoiding the pothole is difficult, forcing motorists to swerve. He considers this a disaster in waiting unless City Hall does urgent repairs.

Battered by high prices, customer wants change

Mr Aggrey Kulali in Emuhaya claimed that less than a decade ago he would buy 500g of butter at Sh50 (Bread and butter matter, December 2). Today, at Sh450 for the same quantity, Kulali thought exploitation was at play.

"Butter should not be a luxury product. I would appreciate an explanation from dairy companies on why the product is so expensive yet milk, which is a key ingredient, is still priced at sane levels," he said. This, added Kulali, was not a small matter.

Kulali hoped Kenya Dairy Board, the industry regulator, would include in its diary a response to explain the high cost. Or could Mathira MP Ephraim Maina perhaps include butter in the Price Control (Essential Goods) Bill 2009?

Right of Reply

Mombasa highway will soon be marked

On behalf of Hon Franklin Bett, the Minister for Roads, I wish to respond to Mr J Shah and other PointBlank readers who have raised concern about the failure of the contractor who worked on the Mombasa-Malindi road to paint lanes (Don’t You Forget: Why did Coast contractors fail to make the mark?, January 20).

The contractor began marking the road from Nyali Bridge as soon as repairs were complete, but stopped after realising the liquid paint provided in the contract was unsuitable and faded shortly after application.

The contractor subsequently applied to the ministry to change specifications to thermoplast, a more durable type of paint. The road markings will commence as soon as the procurement process is complete.

In the meantime, we urge motorists and other road users to exercise caution while using this section for their safety.

Rachel Keino,

Public Relations Officer,

Ministry of Roads.

　

　

Point of Order

These corrupt cops should be roundly condemned

Traffic cops based at DT Dobie roundabout, who are supposedly from Industrial Area Police Station, Nairobi, have in the past been the subject of PointBlank readers’ ire for allegedly harassing motorists and receiving bribes. But, claims Mr Renjit Mon, nothing has changed.

"They arrest motorists for allegedly ‘changing lanes’ whereas the roundabout has no markings or road signs," he says.

Why, he asks Traffic Commandant Joseph ole Tito, should half a dozen officers at the ‘small’ roundabout make a career out of arresting motorists for an offence that is hard to determine? But even if a motorist was on the wrong, is it right for cops to demand bribes?

"On January 30 at 1pm, six or seven officers arrested motorists, including a colleague, for changing lanes. My colleague was asked to pay Sh5,000 or risk being locked up for the weekend. He finally paid Sh1,500 after ‘bargaining’," alleges Mon, who wants the conduct of these officers investigated.

Hospital emergency

Garissa Provincial Hospital could slip into crisis if Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o does not step in, claims Murad, who says he is a doctor. He alleges a list of staff recently sent from headquarters demoralised many health workers who were left out.

"Besides, most of those who were working under specific Government projects have not been paid for months. Why?" he asks.