By Lauryne Akoth
Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja has asserted that recording Nairobi county officers ‘kanjos’ poses no threat as long as citizens do not obstruct them from carrying out their duties.
Speaking during the State of the County address held in city hall on Thursday, Sakaja indicated that citizens are free to record the officers as they perform their duties as it increases accountability among the officers.
” To set the record straight and to be clear, there is no problem whatsoever in recording officers as they perform their duties. If anything it leads to increased accountability. You can even shoot a movie if you want.” Said Sakaja.
This comes days after Sakaja had ordered the arrest of individuals recording kanjos while they arrest individuals, terming it as an obstruction of justice. He mentioned intentions to equip Kanjos with body cameras once the legislation is passed, to ensure unbiased documentation of events and to prevent one-sided narratives.
” When somebody takes a three-second clip and posts it on social media, always, half of the story is told. But just like a coin, there are two sides plus the other side. Let us have the full story.” Said Sakaja.
He also warned against obstructing Kanjos from carrying out their responsibilities and inciting public hostility towards them, highlighting that such actions constitute legal offences punishable by law.
“We have had unfortunate incidences where some of our officers have been attacked in the line of duty. This is unacceptable. We will not tolerate this. We must let our enforcement officers do their work. Obstruction of government officers fulfilling their mandate is a crime punishable by law and will be dealt with firmly.” Sakaja stated.
He also affirmed that through the support of the lawmakers, he will protect the interests of the officers as well as hold them accountable to ensure they treat the people of Nairobi with dignity.