Noordin Haji orders arrest of his staff in Ngong Road drama

Kenya’s chief public prosecutor Noordin Haji has ordered police to take action against one of his staff for behaving badly on road.

Mr Haji on Friday directed police to investigate the hitherto unidentified man who hit a motorist, Ms Waithera Gaitho, on Ngong Road while driving on the wrong side.

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Mr Haji acknowledged that the vehicle belongs to his office and promised to inform the public on the progress of the case that will be filed against the traffic law offender.

Even though the rogue driver stopped, he just looked at the damage he had caused to Ms Gaitho’s car and left without a care.

According to Ms Gaitho, the driver, who was driving a Toyota Prado registration number KCM 485Y, was discourteous.

“I've been hit by these ‘very important’ people while they were driving on the wrong side. Please help me find them,” the Executive Director of Alternatives Africa tweeted.

According to activist Boniface Mwangi, one of the Twitter users who retweeted Ms Gaitho’s plight, she was taking her daughter to school when the incident happened.

“[After hitting her] two men came out, surveyed the damage in both cars and then got back to their car and drove off,” Mr Mwangi tweeted, tagging the Kenya Police Service handle.

And police responded: “This has been brought to our attention by .@bonifacemwangi. Kindly report this to nearest traffic officer or to the nearest police station.”

But while Ms Waithera acted as directed, the officers at the station she went to (unknown so far) did not help her much.

“I reported to the cops and this is what they had to say: ‘ukiwashika tuambie (let us know once you arrest them)’”, she tweeted.

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“Meanwhile there are no GOK OB book. They are using a corporate branded book!”

The callous reaction of the security officers at the station revealed the schemes police use to protect their own as they deny victims of rogue VIP security men justice.

Cases of motorists being hit and pedestrians being knocked down by VIP convoys are common in Kenya, and oftentimes, victims do not get justice due to manipulation of evidence and police inaction.

On Wednesday, guards attached to Embakasi East MP Babu Owino engaged airport security personnel in an argument after the lawmaker's vehicle was parked recklessly at an unauthorised area in the airport.

Mr Owino had gone to the airport to show solidarity with the striking aviation workers.

In his response, Inspector-General Joseph Boinnet on Friday fired a warning shot to police and other security men attached to VIPs over bad manners on roads.

“Some of these officers have in the past been engaging in reckless behaviour and have been harassing other motorists in the name of allowing their VIPs quick passage,” Mr Boinnet said in a statement.

“This unacceptable behaviour has not only caused anger and concern on the part of the motoring public but has also resulted to untold suffering and inconveniences.”

He directed the officers and drivers to follow the law.

"All officers on VIP security duties have therefore been instructed to stop this behaviour forthwith; must therefore follow the highway code and obey the traffic law just like other motorists.”