Scrap metal dealers decry police harassment, ask for intervention

Scrap metal dealers address the media over alleged police harassment, arbitrary arrests and the impoundment of their goods. [File, Courtesy]

The Scrap Metal Dealers Association of Kenya (SMDAK) has reported increased harassment, arbitrary arrests, and unlawful impoundment of members' property by security forces.

This, they claim, has exposed them to huge losses despite having been licensed like other businesses and paying taxes. They cited that the continuous habit is threatening the survival of the industry.

"The industry has faced perennial harassment and extortion from the Kenya Police, with dealers complaining about daily arbitrary arrests and confiscation of their goods," Evans Nganga, the association's chairperson, stated.

The association claims they receive up to 10 distress calls daily from members reporting alleged harassment by police officers. "Our members are calling every day from different parts of the country saying they have been arrested, harassed or had their goods impounded; I would call it a daily occurrence. Every day I get like five or six, seven calls. You know from our members, they're pronouncing themselves that they're being harassed," he said.

He noted that while such incidents have occurred over the years, they have intensified significantly over the past two to three months.

The association acknowledged that while vandalism of public infrastructure remains a serious challenge, they still support protection of key infrastructure.

Nganga attributed much of the vandalism to youth unemployment and politically motivated hooliganism, arguing that criminal elements often target public infrastructure before attempting to sell the stolen metal to unscrupulous buyers.

"The association remains committed to the total eradication of this menace, working closely with the Police Anti-Vandalism Unit to identify and eliminate illegal operators within the sector, and since the inception of the unit, we are now doing around 25 or 30 per cent of vandalism,” he said.

According to Nganga, cooperation with the specialised unit has contributed to a significant reduction in vandalism cases. "We've been working very well with them. Now it's gotten to an extent that the Anti-Vandalism Unit, the Anti-Vandalism Unit is being sidestepped by individual police stations," he said.

"Some businesses have already closed because they cannot withstand repeated police raids and impoundment of their stock. So, we are talking about massive job losses, especially of our youth," he said.

Nganga acknowledged that identifying stolen metal remains difficult because vandals often alter or destroy identifying features before selling it.

​"We encourage our members to keep records. Anybody who brings you anything, just have a record of him so that at least you can be able to stand on the side of prosecution,“ he said.

Owing to this, the association said it has expelled several members suspected of facilitating the trade in stolen materials, asking those running genuine trade to keep records.

The association wants an urgent meeting with the Interior Cabinet Secretary and senior security officials to develop a lasting solution to both police harassment and infrastructure vandalism.